Phase Contrast Imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

1996-01-01

The invention relates to a method and a system for synthesizing a prescribed intensity pattern based on phase contrast imaging that is not based on the assumption of prior art methods that the pahase shift phi is less than 1 radian. An improved method based on a simple imaging operation...... phasors attain predetermined values for predetermined spatial frequencies, and the phasor value of the specific resolution element of the spatial phase mask corresponds to a distinct intensity level of the image of the resolution element in the intensity pattern, and a spatial phase filter for phase...... shifting of a part of the electromagntic radiation, in combination with an imaging system for generation of the intensity pattern by interference in the image plane of the imaging system between the part of the electromagnetic raidation that has been phase shifted by the phase filter and the remaining part...

Liver imaging with MDCT and high concentration contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spielmann, Audrey L.

2003-01-01

Liver imaging has advanced greatly over the last 10 years with helical CT capability and more recently the addition of multidetector-row CT (MDCT). Multidetector CT technology facilitates imaging at faster speeds with improved image quality and less breathing artifact [Abdom. Imaging 25 (2000) 643]. Exquisite three-dimensional data sets can be obtained with thin collimation providing improved lesion detection, multiplanar imaging, and the ability to perform CT angiography of the liver and mesenteric vessels. New challenges arise with this advance in technology including safety considerations. The radiation dose to the patient has increased with MDCT and this is compounded by the ability to perform multi-phase liver imaging. Furthermore, issues of contrast media administration require reconsideration including optimal timing and rate of administration, the total volume of contrast needed and the ideal iodine concentration of the contrast media. Recently, the use of high concentration contrast media (HCCM) has been explored and study results to date will be reviewed

Generalized image contrast enhancement technique based on Heinemann contrast discrimination model

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hong; Nodine, Calvin F.

1994-03-01

This paper presents a generalized image contrast enhancement technique which equalizes perceived brightness based on the Heinemann contrast discrimination model. This is a modified algorithm which presents an improvement over the previous study by Mokrane in its mathematically proven existence of a unique solution and in its easily tunable parameterization. The model uses a log-log representation of contrast luminosity between targets and the surround in a fixed luminosity background setting. The algorithm consists of two nonlinear gray-scale mapping functions which have seven parameters, two of which are adjustable Heinemann constants. Another parameter is the background gray level. The remaining four parameters are nonlinear functions of gray scale distribution of the image, and can be uniquely determined once the previous three are given. Tests have been carried out to examine the effectiveness of the algorithm for increasing the overall contrast of images. It can be demonstrated that the generalized algorithm provides better contrast enhancement than histogram equalization. In fact, the histogram equalization technique is a special case of the proposed mapping.

Improvement of Fuzzy Image Contrast Enhancement Using Simulated Ergodic Fuzzy Markov Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behrouz Fathi-Vajargah

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel fuzzy enhancement technique using simulated ergodic fuzzy Markov chains for low contrast brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI. The fuzzy image contrast enhancement is proposed by weighted fuzzy expected value. The membership values are then modified to enhance the image using ergodic fuzzy Markov chains. The qualitative performance of the proposed method is compared to another method in which ergodic fuzzy Markov chains are not considered. The proposed method produces better quality image.

Technical and clinical evaluation of an improved-contrast screen-film combination for radiation therapy portal localization imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haus, Arthur G.; Dickerson, Robert E.; Huff, Kenneth E.; Monte, Suzanne; Schlager, Barbara A.; Atanas, Meri; Matloubieh, Ahmad

1996-01-01

Purpose/Objective: A problem with conventional radiation therapy portal images is low image contrast, due in part to the low attenuation of the exposing radiation by the anatomical parts being imaged and the contrast capabilities of the film or screen-film combination. The purpose of this study was to design, develop and clinically evaluate a new screen-film combination for portal localization imaging which provides significantly higher contrast and therefore improved image quality. Materials and Methods: Comparison phantom and clinical images were made at two radiation oncology facilities with the new prototype screen-film combination and a commercial screen-film combination currently used for portal localization imaging. All images were made with linear accelerators at 6MV. Sensitometric data was also obtained. The prototype combination features a 1.0mm copper front screen plus front and back gadolinium oxysulfide fluorescent intensifying screens and a very-slow-speed film having inherently high contrast. The film emulsion layers are coated on a 7 mil Estar base which allows processing in a conventional rapid process film processor. For this combination, the film is exposed primarily by light from the intensifying screens. The current, commercially available screen-film combination was a Kodak X-Omatic L Radiation Therapy Cassette with a 1.0mm copper front screen and a 0.25mm lead back screen and Kodak X-Omat RP film in ready pack envelope. With this combination, the film emulsion is exposed by electrons generated in the metal screens. All films were processed in a Kodak M35A X-Omat processor. Radiation oncologists reviewed the phantom and clinical images. Results: Sensitometric data indicate that the film contrast (average gradient) of the new prototype combination is approximately 4 times higher than the conventional commercially available combination. Phantom and clinical comparisons at St. Mary Cancer Center, Langhorne PA. and the Daisy Marquis Jones

Improved contrast deep optoacoustic imaging using displacement-compensated averaging: breast tumour phantom studies

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Jaeger, M; Preisser, S; Kitz, M; Frenz, M [Institute of Applied Physics, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern (Switzerland); Ferrara, D; Senegas, S; Schweizer, D, E-mail: frenz@iap.unibe.ch [Fukuda Denshi Switzerland AG, Reinacherstrasse 131, CH-4002 Basel (Switzerland)

2011-09-21

For real-time optoacoustic (OA) imaging of the human body, a linear array transducer and reflection mode optical irradiation is usually preferred. Such a setup, however, results in significant image background, which prevents imaging structures at the ultimate depth determined by the light distribution and the signal noise level. Therefore, we previously proposed a method for image background reduction, based on displacement-compensated averaging (DCA) of image series obtained when the tissue sample under investigation is gradually deformed. OA signals and background signals are differently affected by the deformation and can thus be distinguished. The proposed method is now experimentally applied to image artificial tumours embedded inside breast phantoms. OA images are acquired alternately with pulse-echo images using a combined OA/echo-ultrasound device. Tissue deformation is accessed via speckle tracking in pulse echo images, and used to compensate in the OA images for the local tissue displacement. In that way, OA sources are highly correlated between subsequent images, while background is decorrelated and can therefore be reduced by averaging. We show that image contrast in breast phantoms is strongly improved and detectability of embedded tumours significantly increased, using the DCA method.

Quality Improvement of Liver Ultrasound Images Using Fuzzy Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayani, Azadeh; Langarizadeh, Mostafa; Radmard, Amir Reza; Nejad, Ahmadreza Farzaneh

2016-12-01

Liver ultrasound images are so common and are applied so often to diagnose diffuse liver diseases like fatty liver. However, the low quality of such images makes it difficult to analyze them and diagnose diseases. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to improve the contrast and quality of liver ultrasound images. In this study, a number of image contrast enhancement algorithms which are based on fuzzy logic were applied to liver ultrasound images - in which the view of kidney is observable - using Matlab2013b to improve the image contrast and quality which has a fuzzy definition; just like image contrast improvement algorithms using a fuzzy intensification operator, contrast improvement algorithms applying fuzzy image histogram hyperbolization, and contrast improvement algorithms by fuzzy IF-THEN rules. With the measurement of Mean Squared Error and Peak Signal to Noise Ratio obtained from different images, fuzzy methods provided better results, and their implementation - compared with histogram equalization method - led both to the improvement of contrast and visual quality of images and to the improvement of liver segmentation algorithms results in images. Comparison of the four algorithms revealed the power of fuzzy logic in improving image contrast compared with traditional image processing algorithms. Moreover, contrast improvement algorithm based on a fuzzy intensification operator was selected as the strongest algorithm considering the measured indicators. This method can also be used in future studies on other ultrasound images for quality improvement and other image processing and analysis applications.

Lesion Contrast Enhancement in Medical Ultrasound Imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stetson, Paul F.; Sommer, F.G.; Macovski, A.

1997-01-01

Methods for improving the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of low-contrast lesions in medical ultrasound imaging are described. Differences in the frequency spectra and amplitude distributions of the lesion and its surroundings can be used to increase the CNR of the lesion relative to the background...

Oral gadopentetate dimeglumine administration as a negative gastrointestinal contrast agent to improve image quality of MR cholangiopancreatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Yi; Xu Yikai; Zhao Yuhui; Wang Guisheng

2008-01-01

Objective: To choose optimal concentration and volume of Gd-DTPA solution as a oral gastrointestinal negative contrast agent for MRCP. To evaluate the role of Gd-DTPA solution in improving image quality of MRCP. Methods: In vitro experiment: Gd-DTPA solution was made with different concentrations. T 1 WI, T 2 WI, two-dimensional single slice fast spin echo sequence and three-dimensional half-fourier acquisition single-shot fast spin echo sequence were performed to measure the signal intensity of these contrast agents respectively, so Gd-DTPA solution with the optimal concentration can be decided as oral negative gastrointestinal contrast agent on MRCP. Clinical study: The Gd-DTPA solution with optimal concentration and volume was regarded as an oral negative gastrointestinal contrast agent of MRCP. Twenty- four' patients were performed with MRCP before and after (5-10 minutes and 10-15 minutes) administration of oral negative gastrointestinal contrast agent and image quality was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance with SPSS 10.0. Results: When the concentration of Gd-DTPA solution was ≤0.01 mol/L, the contrast agent was hyperintense on T 1 WI. On T 2 WI, when the concentration was ≥0.015 mol/L, it was as hypointense as basic ground; On 2D FSE MRCP images, controls were hyperintense and the contrast agent with concentration ranging from 0.0025 mol/L to 0.03 mol/L was hypointense. On 3D HEAST MRCP image, controls were hyperintense and when the concentration of Gd-DTPA was ≥0.01 mol, the contrast agent was hypointense. The Gd-DTPA solution with the concentration of 0.01 mol/L and the volume of 100 ml was chosen as MRCP oral negative gastrointestinal contrast agent. On MRCP images after oral administration of the contrast agent, in 10-15 minutes, the average grade scores within 24 patients of the intrahepatic bile duct, the common hepatic bile duct, the gall bladder, the common bile duct and pancreatic duct (the average grade

Improved specimen reconstruction by Hilbert phase contrast tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, Bastian; Joos, Friederike; Schröder, Rasmus R

2008-11-01

The low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in images of unstained specimens recorded with conventional defocus phase contrast makes it difficult to interpret 3D volumes obtained by electron tomography (ET). The high defocus applied for conventional tilt series generates some phase contrast but leads to an incomplete transfer of object information. For tomography of biological weak-phase objects, optimal image contrast and subsequently an optimized SNR are essential for the reconstruction of details such as macromolecular assemblies at molecular resolution. The problem of low contrast can be partially solved by applying a Hilbert phase plate positioned in the back focal plane (BFP) of the objective lens while recording images in Gaussian focus. Images recorded with the Hilbert phase plate provide optimized positive phase contrast at low spatial frequencies, and the contrast transfer in principle extends to the information limit of the microscope. The antisymmetric Hilbert phase contrast (HPC) can be numerically converted into isotropic contrast, which is equivalent to the contrast obtained by a Zernike phase plate. Thus, in-focus HPC provides optimal structure factor information without limiting effects of the transfer function. In this article, we present the first electron tomograms of biological specimens reconstructed from Hilbert phase plate image series. We outline the technical implementation of the phase plate and demonstrate that the technique is routinely applicable for tomography. A comparison between conventional defocus tomograms and in-focus HPC volumes shows an enhanced SNR and an improved specimen visibility for in-focus Hilbert tomography.

Improved MR breast images by contrast optimization using artificial intelligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konig, H.; Gohagan, J.; Laub, G.; Bachus, R.; Heywang, S.; Reinhardt, E.R.

1986-01-01

The clinical relevance of MR imaging of the breast is mainly related to the modelity's ability to differentiate among normal, benign, and malignant tissue and to yield prognostic information. In addition to the MR imaging parameters, morphologic features of these images are calculated. Based on statistical information of a comprehensive, labeled image and knowledge of a data base system, a numerical classifier is deduced. The application of this classifier to all cases leads to estimations of specific tissue types for each pixel. The method is sufficiently sensitive for grading a recognized tissue class. In this manner images with optimal contrast appropriate to particular diagnostic requirements are generated. The discriminant power of each MR imaging parameter as well as of a combination of parameters can be determined objectively with respect to tissue discrimination

Phase contrast image synthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glückstad, J.

1996-01-01

A new method is presented for synthesizing arbitrary intensity patterns based on phase contrast imaging. The concept is grounded on an extension of the Zernike phase contrast method into the domain of full range [0; 2 pi] phase modulation. By controlling the average value of the input phase funct...... function and by choosing appropriate phase retardation at the phase contrast filter, a pure phase to intensity imaging is accomplished. The method presented is also directly applicable in dark field image synthesis....

Appropriate Contrast Enhancement Measures for Brain and Breast Cancer Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suneet Gupta

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Medical imaging systems often produce images that require enhancement, such as improving the image contrast as they are poor in contrast. Therefore, they must be enhanced before they are examined by medical professionals. This is necessary for proper diagnosis and subsequent treatment. We do have various enhancement algorithms which enhance the medical images to different extents. We also have various quantitative metrics or measures which evaluate the quality of an image. This paper suggests the most appropriate measures for two of the medical images, namely, brain cancer images and breast cancer images.

Rationally encapsulated gold nanorods improving both linear and nonlinear photoacoustic imaging contrast in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Fei; Bai, Linyi; Liu, Siyu; Zhang, Ruochong; Zhang, Jingtao; Feng, Xiaohua; Zheng, Yuanjin; Zhao, Yanli

2017-01-07

Photoacoustic tomography has emerged as a promising non-invasive imaging technique that integrates the merits of high optical contrast with high ultrasound resolution in deep scattering medium. Unfortunately, the blood background in vivo seriously impedes the quality of imaging due to its comparable optical absorption with contrast agents, especially in conventional linear photoacoustic imaging modality. In this study, we demonstrated that two hybrids consisting of gold nanorods (Au NRs) and zinc tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin (ZnTPP) exhibited a synergetic effect in improving optical absorption, conversion efficiency from light to heat, and thermoelastic expansion, leading to a notable enhancement in both linear (four times greater) and nonlinear (more than six times) photoacoustic signals as compared with conventional Au NRs. Subsequently, we carefully investigated the interesting factors that may influence photoacoustic signal amplification, suggesting that the coating of ZnTPP on Au NRs could result in the reduction of gold interfacial thermal conductance with a solvent, so that the heat is more confined within the nanoparticle clusters for a significant enhancement of local temperature. Hence, both the linear and nonlinear photoacoustic signals are enhanced on account of better thermal confinement. The present work not only shows that ZnTPP coated Au NRs could serve as excellent photoacoustic nanoamplifiers, but also brings a perspective for photoacoustic image-guided therapy.

Regional improvement of signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios in dual-screen CR chest imaging - a phantom study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xinming; Shaw, Chris C.

2001-01-01

The improvement of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in dual-screen computed radiography (CR) has been investigated for various regions in images of an anthropomorphic chest phantom. With the dual-screen CR technique, two image plates are placed in a cassette and exposed together during imaging. The exposed plates are separately scanned to form a front image and a back image, which are then registered and superimposed to form a composite image with improved SNRs and CNRs. The improvement can be optimized by applying specifically selected weighting factors during superimposition. In this study, dual-screen CR images of an anthropomorphic chest phantom were acquired and formed with four different combinations of standard resolution (ST) and high-resolution (HR) screens: ST-ST, ST-HR, HR-ST, and HR-HR. SNRs and their improvements were measured and compared over twelve representative regions-of-interest (ROIs) in these images. A 19.1%-45.7% increase of the SNR was observed, depending on the ROI and screen combination used. The optimal weighting factors were found to vary by only 4.5%-12.4%. Largest improvement was found in the lung field for all screen combinations. Improvement of CNRs was investigated over two ROIs in the lung field using the rib bones as the contrast objects and a 29.2%-43.9% improvement of the CNR was observed. Among the four screen combinations, ST-ST resulted in the most SNR and CNR improvement, followed in order by HR-ST, HR-HR, and ST-HR. The HR-ST combination yielded the lowest spatial variation of the optimal weighting factors with improved SNRs and CNRs close to those of the ST-ST combination

Temporal contrast enhancement and parametric imaging for the visualisation of time patterns in dynamic scintigraphic imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deconinck, F.; Bossuyt, A.; Lepoudre, R.

1982-01-01

Image contrast, photon noise and sampling frequency limit the visual extraction of relevant temporal information in scintigraphic image series. When the Unitation is mainly due to low temporal contrast, temporal contrast enhancement will strongly improve the perceptibility of time patterns in the series. When the limitation is due to photon noise and limited temporal sampling, parametric imaging by means of the Hadamard transform can visualise temporal patterns. (WU)

Improvement of observer performance during fluoroscopy by local adaptive contrast enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gould, R.G.; Demas, B.E.; Maroney, T.P.

1988-01-01

The ability of a video processor (FluoroVision FV-1), which performs two-dimensional locally adaptive contrast enhancement, to improve the detection of a low-contrast object was evaluated by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Three independent observers viewed a videotape of 50 fluoroscopic images of a varied background, in which a test object was present in 25. Each observer viewed the tape under four conditions: (1) no processing, (2) temporal noise reduction (gaussian weighted time averaging, (3) contrast enhancement, and (4) both noise reduction and contrast enhancement. The results were that detection was significantly improved by the locally adaptive contrast enhancement. Noise reduction did not significantly improve performance, probably because washer detection was limited by background contrast variations as well as noise and because only a small amount of noise reduction was used. The authors conclude that the processing device is potentially valuable in improving the quality of clinical fluoroscopic images

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging of endometrial cancer. Optimizing the imaging delay for tumour-myometrium contrast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sung Bin; Moon, Min Hoan; Sung, Chang Kyu; Oh, Sohee; Lee, Young Ho

2014-01-01

To investigate the optimal imaging delay time of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in women with endometrial cancer. This prospective single-institution study was approved by the institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from the participants. Thirty-five women (mean age, 54 years; age range, 29-66 years) underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging with a temporal resolution of 25-40 seconds. The signal intensity difference ratios between the myometrium and endometrial cancer were analyzed to investigate the optimal imaging delay time using single change-point analysis. The optimal imaging delay time for appropriate tumour-myometrium contrast ranged from 31.7 to 268.1 seconds. The median optimal imaging delay time was 91.3 seconds, with an interquartile range of 46.2 to 119.5 seconds. The median signal intensity difference ratios between the myometrium and endometrial cancer were 0.03, with an interquartile range of -0.01 to 0.06, on the pre-contrast MR imaging and 0.20, with an interquartile range of 0.15 to 0.25, on the post-contrast MR imaging. An imaging delay of approximately 90 seconds after initiating contrast material injection may be optimal for obtaining appropriate tumour-myometrium contrast in women with endometrial cancer. (orig.)

Contrast-guided image interpolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Zhe; Ma, Kai-Kuang

2013-11-01

In this paper a contrast-guided image interpolation method is proposed that incorporates contrast information into the image interpolation process. Given the image under interpolation, four binary contrast-guided decision maps (CDMs) are generated and used to guide the interpolation filtering through two sequential stages: 1) the 45(°) and 135(°) CDMs for interpolating the diagonal pixels and 2) the 0(°) and 90(°) CDMs for interpolating the row and column pixels. After applying edge detection to the input image, the generation of a CDM lies in evaluating those nearby non-edge pixels of each detected edge for re-classifying them possibly as edge pixels. This decision is realized by solving two generalized diffusion equations over the computed directional variation (DV) fields using a derived numerical approach to diffuse or spread the contrast boundaries or edges, respectively. The amount of diffusion or spreading is proportional to the amount of local contrast measured at each detected edge. The diffused DV fields are then thresholded for yielding the binary CDMs, respectively. Therefore, the decision bands with variable widths will be created on each CDM. The two CDMs generated in each stage will be exploited as the guidance maps to conduct the interpolation process: for each declared edge pixel on the CDM, a 1-D directional filtering will be applied to estimate its associated to-be-interpolated pixel along the direction as indicated by the respective CDM; otherwise, a 2-D directionless or isotropic filtering will be used instead to estimate the associated missing pixels for each declared non-edge pixel. Extensive simulation results have clearly shown that the proposed contrast-guided image interpolation is superior to other state-of-the-art edge-guided image interpolation methods. In addition, the computational complexity is relatively low when compared with existing methods; hence, it is fairly attractive for real-time image applications.

High-field, high-resolution, susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: improved image quality by addition of contrast agent and higher field strength in patients with brain tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinker, K.; Noebauer-Huhmann, I.M.; Szomolanyi, P.; Weber, M.; Grabner, G.; Trattnig, S.; Stavrou, I.; Knosp, E.; Hoeftberger, R.; Stadlbauer, A.

2008-01-01

To demonstrate intratumoral susceptibility effects in malignant brain tumors and to assess visualization of susceptibility effects before and after administration of the paramagnetic contrast agent MultiHance (gadobenate dimeglumine; Bracco Imaging), an agent known to have high relaxivity, with respect to susceptibility effects, image quality, and reduction of scan time. Included in the study were 19 patients with malignant brain tumors who underwent high-resolution, susceptibility-weighted (SW) MR imaging at 3 T before and after administration of contrast agent. In all patients, Multihance was administered intravenously as a bolus (0.1 mmol/kg body weight). MR images were individually evaluated by two radiologists with previous experience in the evaluation of pre- and postcontrast 3-T SW MR images with respect to susceptibility effects, image quality, and reduction of scan time. In the 19 patients 21 tumors were diagnosed, of which 18 demonstrated intralesional susceptibility effects both in pre- and postcontrast SW images, and 19 demonstrated contrast enhancement in both SW images and T1-weighted spin-echo MR images. Conspicuity of susceptibility effects and image quality were improved in postcontrast images compared with precontrast images and the scan time was also reduced due to decreased TE values from 9 min (precontrast) to 7 min (postcontrast). The intravenous administration of MultiHance, an agent with high relaxivity, allowed a reduction of scan time from 9 min to 7 min while preserving excellent susceptibility effects and image quality in SW images obtained at 3 T. Contrast enhancement and intralesional susceptibility effects can be assessed in one sequence. (orig.)

Benchtop phase-contrast X-ray imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gundogdu, O. [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)], E-mail: o.gundogdu@surrey.ac.uk; Nirgianaki, E.; Che Ismail, E.; Jenneson, P.M.; Bradley, D.A. [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)

2007-12-15

Clinical radiography has traditionally been based on contrast obtained from absorption when X-rays pass through the body. The contrast obtained from traditional radiography can be rather poor, particularly when it comes to soft tissue. A wide range of media of interest in materials science, biology and medicine exhibit very weak absorption contrast, but they nevertheless produce significant phase shifts with X-rays. The use of phase information for imaging purposes is therefore an attractive prospect. Some of the X-ray phase-contrast imaging methods require highly monochromatic plane wave radiation and sophisticated X-ray optics. However, the propagation-based phase-contrast imaging method adapted in this paper is a relatively simple method to implement, essentially requiring only a microfocal X-ray tube and electronic detection. In this paper, we present imaging results obtained from two different benchtop X-ray sources employing the free space propagation method. X-ray phase-contrast imaging provides higher contrast in many samples, including biological tissues that have negligible absorption contrast.

Image fusion in x-ray differential phase-contrast imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Haas, W.; Polyanskaya, M.; Bayer, F.; Gödel, K.; Hofmann, H.; Rieger, J.; Ritter, A.; Weber, T.; Wucherer, L.; Durst, J.; Michel, T.; Anton, G.; Hornegger, J.

2012-02-01

Phase-contrast imaging is a novel modality in the field of medical X-ray imaging. The pioneer method is the grating-based interferometry which has no special requirements to the X-ray source and object size. Furthermore, it provides three different types of information of an investigated object simultaneously - absorption, differential phase-contrast and dark-field images. Differential phase-contrast and dark-field images represent a completely new information which has not yet been investigated and studied in context of medical imaging. In order to introduce phase-contrast imaging as a new modality into medical environment the resulting information about the object has to be correctly interpreted. The three output images reflect different properties of the same object the main challenge is to combine and visualize these data in such a way that it diminish the information explosion and reduce the complexity of its interpretation. This paper presents an intuitive image fusion approach which allows to operate with grating-based phase-contrast images. It combines information of the three different images and provides a single image. The approach is implemented in a fusion framework which is aimed to support physicians in study and analysis. The framework provides the user with an intuitive graphical user interface allowing to control the fusion process. The example given in this work shows the functionality of the proposed method and the great potential of phase-contrast imaging in medical practice.

3D Fast Spin Echo T2-weighted Contrast for Imaging the Female Cervix

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas Sanchez, Andrea Fernanda

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with T2-weighted contrast is the preferred modality for treatment planning and monitoring of cervical cancer. Current clinical protocols image the volume of interest multiple times with two dimensional (2D) T2-weighted MRI techniques. It is of interest to replace these multiple 2D acquisitions with a single three dimensional (3D) MRI acquisition to save time. However, at present the image contrast of standard 3D MRI does not distinguish cervical healthy tissue from cancerous tissue. The purpose of this thesis is to better understand the underlying factors that govern the contrast of 3D MRI and exploit this understanding via sequence modifications to improve the contrast. Numerical simulations are developed to predict observed contrast alterations and to propose an improvement. Improvements of image contrast are shown in simulation and with healthy volunteers. Reported results are only preliminary but a promising start to establish definitively 3D MRI for cervical cancer applications.

Preliminary study on X-ray phase contrast imaging using synchrotron radiation facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong Zhuang; Wang Jianhua; Yu Yongqiang; Jiang Shiping; Chen Yang; Tian Yulian

2006-01-01

Objective: To study the methodology of X-ray phase contrast imaging using synchrotron radiation, and evaluate the quality of phase contrast images. Methods: Several experiments to obtain phase contrast images and absorption contrast images of various biological samples were conducted in Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF), and then these images were interpreted to find out the difference between the two kinds of imaging methods. Results: Satisfactory phase contrast images of these various samples were obtained, and the quality of these images was superior to that obtained with absorption contrast imaging. The phase contrast formation is based on the phenomenon of fresnel diffraction which transforms phase shifts into intensity variations upon a simple act of free-space propagation, so it requires highly coherent X-rays and appropriate distance between sample and detector. This method of imaging is very useful in imaging of low-absorption objects or objects with little absorption variation, and its resolution is far higher than that of the conventional X-ray imaging. The photographs obtained showed very fine inner microstructure of the biological samples, and the smallest microstructure to be distinguished is within 30-40 μm. There is no doubt that phase contrast imaging has a practical applicability in medicine. Moreover, it improves greatly the efficiency and the resolution of the existing X-ray diagnostic techniques. Conclusions: X-ray phase contrast imaging can be performed with synchrotron radiation source and has some advantages over the conventional absorption contrast imaging. (authors)

Refraction-contrast bone imaging using synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Koichi; Sekine, Norio; Sato, Hitoshi; Shikano, Naoto; Shimao, Daisuke; Shiwaku, Hideaki; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Oka, Hiroshi

2002-01-01

The X-ray refraction-contrast imaging using synchrotron radiation with some X-ray energies is successfully performed at B120B2 of SPring-8. The refraction-contrast images of bone samples such as human dried proximal phalanx, wrist, upper cervical vertebrae and sella turcica and as mouse proximal femur using the synchrotron X-ray are always better in image contrast and resolution than those of the absorption-contrast images using the synchrotron X-ray and/or the conventional X-ray tube. There is much likeness in the image contrast and resolution of trabeculae bone in the human dried proximal phalanx between X-ray energy of 30 keV at sample-to-film distance of 1 m and those of 40, 50 keV at those of 4,5 m, respectively. High-energy refraction-contrast imaging with suitable sample-to-film distance could reduce the exposure dose in human imaging. In the refraction-contrast imaging of human wrist, upper cervcal vertebrae, sella turcica and mouse proximal femur using the synchrotron X-ray, we can obtain better image contrast and resolution to correctly extract morphological information for diagnosis corresponding to each of the clinical field than those of the absorption-contrast images. (author)

Does supplementation of contrast MR imaging with thallium-201 brain SPECT improve differentiation between benign and malignant ring-like contrast-enhanced cerebral lesions?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kita, Tamotsu; Hayashi, Katsumi; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Kawauchi, Toshio; Sakata, Ikuko; Iwasaki, Yoshie; Kosuda, Shigeru

2007-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether thallium-201 ( 201 Tl) brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) could supplement magnetic resonance (MR) imaging diagnostic information by visual comparison of two separate data sets from patients with ring-like contrast-enhanced cerebral lesions. A combination of MR imaging and 201 Tl brain SPECT sets obtained from 13 patients (10 men, 3 women) ranging in age from 26 years to 86 years (mean 61.0 years) were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 12 patients had a solitary lesion, and the others had multiple lesions. All but two intracranial foci were pathologically confirmed. The final diagnoses were six glioblastomas, two cerebral metastases from lung cancer, and one each of abscess, resolving hematoma, primary central nervous system lymphoma, toxoplasmosis, and radiation necrosis. The two separate image formats (MR images and SPECT) were shown to ten readers with practical experience. All of the MR images for each patient were shown to each reader first. After interpreting them, the readers were shown the SPECT images. Images were scored in terms of how benign or malignant the foci were on a 5-point scale from ''definitely benign'' to ''definitely malignant.'' The improvement in the performance of all ten readers was from 67.7% to 93.8% in mean accuracy (P=0.0028) and from 0.730 to 0.971 in mean Az value (P=0.0069) after they were shown the 201 Tl brain SPECT images. 201 Tl brain SPECT should substantially increase confidence in the diagnosis of intracranial lesions with ring-like contrast enhancement when MR imaging does not permit differentiation between benign and malignant disease. (author)

Fundamental study of DSA images using gadolinium contrast agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagashima, Hiroyuki; Shiraishi, Akihisa; Igarashi, Hitoshi; Sakamoto, Hajime; Sano, Yoshitomo

2002-01-01

Most contrast agents used in digital subtraction angiography (DSA) are non-ionic iodinated contrast agents, which can cause severe side effects in patients with contraindications for iodine or allergic reactions to iodine. Therefore, DSA examinations using carbon dioxide gas or examinations done by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US) were carried out in these patients. However, none of these examinations provided mages as clear as those of DSA with an iodinated contrast agent. We experienced DSA examination using a gadolinium contrast agent in a patient contraindicated for iodine. The patient had undergone MRI examination with a gadolinium contrast agent previously without side effects. The characteristics of gadolinium and the iodinated contrast agent were compared, and the DSA images obtained clinically using these media were also evaluated. The signal-to-noise (SN) ratio of the gadolinium contrast agent was the highest at tube voltages of 70 to 80 kilovolts and improved slightly when the image intensifier (I.I.) entrance dose was greater than 300 μR (77.4 nC/kg). The dilution ratios of five iodinated contrast agents showed the same S/N value as the undiluted gadolinium contrast agent. Clinically, the images obtained showed a slight decrease in contrast but provided the data necessary to make a diagnosis and made it possible to obtain interventional radiology (IVR) without any side effects. DSA examinations using a gadolinium contrast agent have some benefit with low risk and are thought to be useful for patients contraindicated for iodine. (author)

Investigation of the imaging quality of synchrotron-based phase-contrast mammographic tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gureyev, T E; Mayo, S C; Nesterets, Ya I; Mohammadi, S; Menk, R H; Arfelli, F; Tromba, G; Lockie, D; Pavlov, K M; Kitchen, M J; Zanconati, F; Dullin, C

2014-01-01

We report the results of a systematic study of phase-contrast x-ray computed tomography in the propagation-based and analyser-based modes using specially designed phantoms and excised breast tissue samples. The study is aimed at the quantitative evaluation and subsequent optimization, with respect to detection of small tumours in breast tissue, of the effects of phase contrast and phase retrieval on key imaging parameters, such as spatial resolution, contrast-to-noise ratio, x-ray dose and a recently proposed ‘intrinsic quality’ characteristic which combines the image noise with the spatial resolution. We demonstrate that some of the methods evaluated in this work lead to substantial (more than 20-fold) improvement in the contrast-to-noise and intrinsic quality of the reconstructed tomographic images compared with conventional techniques, with the measured characteristics being in good agreement with the corresponding theoretical estimations. This improvement also corresponds to an approximately 400-fold reduction in the x-ray dose, compared with conventional absorption-based tomography, without a loss in the imaging quality. The results of this study confirm and quantify the significant potential benefits achievable in three-dimensional mammography using x-ray phase-contrast imaging and phase-retrieval techniques. (paper)

Multiscale image contrast amplification (MUSICA)

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Vuylsteke, Pieter; Schoeters, Emile P.

1994-05-01

This article presents a novel approach to the problem of detail contrast enhancement, based on multiresolution representation of the original image. The image is decomposed into a weighted sum of smooth, localized, 2D basis functions at multiple scales. Each transform coefficient represents the amount of local detail at some specific scale and at a specific position in the image. Detail contrast is enhanced by non-linear amplification of the transform coefficients. An inverse transform is then applied to the modified coefficients. This yields a uniformly contrast- enhanced image without artefacts. The MUSICA-algorithm is being applied routinely to computed radiography images of chest, skull, spine, shoulder, pelvis, extremities, and abdomen examinations, with excellent acceptance. It is useful for a wide range of applications in the medical, graphical, and industrial area.

Local gray level S-curve transformation - A generalized contrast enhancement technique for medical images.

Science.gov (United States)

Gandhamal, Akash; Talbar, Sanjay; Gajre, Suhas; Hani, Ahmad Fadzil M; Kumar, Dileep

2017-04-01

Most medical images suffer from inadequate contrast and brightness, which leads to blurred or weak edges (low contrast) between adjacent tissues resulting in poor segmentation and errors in classification of tissues. Thus, contrast enhancement to improve visual information is extremely important in the development of computational approaches for obtaining quantitative measurements from medical images. In this research, a contrast enhancement algorithm that applies gray-level S-curve transformation technique locally in medical images obtained from various modalities is investigated. The S-curve transformation is an extended gray level transformation technique that results into a curve similar to a sigmoid function through a pixel to pixel transformation. This curve essentially increases the difference between minimum and maximum gray values and the image gradient, locally thereby, strengthening edges between adjacent tissues. The performance of the proposed technique is determined by measuring several parameters namely, edge content (improvement in image gradient), enhancement measure (degree of contrast enhancement), absolute mean brightness error (luminance distortion caused by the enhancement), and feature similarity index measure (preservation of the original image features). Based on medical image datasets comprising 1937 images from various modalities such as ultrasound, mammograms, fluorescent images, fundus, X-ray radiographs and MR images, it is found that the local gray-level S-curve transformation outperforms existing techniques in terms of improved contrast and brightness, resulting in clear and strong edges between adjacent tissues. The proposed technique can be used as a preprocessing tool for effective segmentation and classification of tissue structures in medical images. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using the phase-space imager to analyze partially coherent imaging systems: bright-field, phase contrast, differential interference contrast, differential phase contrast, and spiral phase contrast

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Mehta, Shalin B.; Sheppard, Colin J. R.

2010-05-01

Various methods that use large illumination aperture (i.e. partially coherent illumination) have been developed for making transparent (i.e. phase) specimens visible. These methods were developed to provide qualitative contrast rather than quantitative measurement-coherent illumination has been relied upon for quantitative phase analysis. Partially coherent illumination has some important advantages over coherent illumination and can be used for measurement of the specimen's phase distribution. However, quantitative analysis and image computation in partially coherent systems have not been explored fully due to the lack of a general, physically insightful and computationally efficient model of image formation. We have developed a phase-space model that satisfies these requirements. In this paper, we employ this model (called the phase-space imager) to elucidate five different partially coherent systems mentioned in the title. We compute images of an optical fiber under these systems and verify some of them with experimental images. These results and simulated images of a general phase profile are used to compare the contrast and the resolution of the imaging systems. We show that, for quantitative phase imaging of a thin specimen with matched illumination, differential phase contrast offers linear transfer of specimen information to the image. We also show that the edge enhancement properties of spiral phase contrast are compromised significantly as the coherence of illumination is reduced. The results demonstrate that the phase-space imager model provides a useful framework for analysis, calibration, and design of partially coherent imaging methods.

Digital contrast enhancement of 18Fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography images in hepatocellular carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandey, Anil Kumar; Sharma, Sanjay Kumar; Agarwal, Krishan Kant; Sharma, Punit; Bal, Chandrasekhar; Kumar, Rakesh

2016-01-01

The role of 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) is limited for detection of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to low contrast to the tumor, and normal hepatocytes (background). The aim of the present study was to improve the contrast between the tumor and background by standardizing the input parameters of a digital contrast enhancement technique. A transverse slice of PET image was adjusted for the best possible contrast, and saved in JPEG 2000 format. We processed this image with a contrast enhancement technique using 847 possible combinations of input parameters (threshold “m” and slope “e”). The input parameters which resulted in an image having a high value of 2 nd order entropy, and edge content, and low value of absolute mean brightness error, and saturation evaluation metrics, were considered as standardized input parameters. The same process was repeated for total nine PET-computed tomography studies, thus analyzing 7623 images. The selected digital contrast enhancement technique increased the contrast between the HCC tumor and background. In seven out of nine images, the standardized input parameters “m” had values between 150 and 160, and for other two images values were 138 and 175, respectively. The value of slope “e” was 4 in 4 images, 3 in 3 images and 1 in 2 images. It was found that it is important to optimize the input parameters for the best possible contrast for each image; a particular value was not sufficient for all the HCC images. The use of above digital contrast enhancement technique improves the tumor to background ratio in PET images of HCC and appears to be useful. Further clinical validation of this finding is warranted

Phase-contrast enhanced mammography: A new diagnostic tool for breast imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhentian; Thuering, Thomas; David, Christian; Roessl, Ewald; Trippel, Mafalda; Kubik-Huch, Rahel A.; Singer, Gad; Hohl, Michael K.; Hauser, Nik; Stampanoni, Marco

2012-01-01

Phase contrast and scattering-based X-ray imaging can potentially revolutionize the radiological approach to breast imaging by providing additional and complementary information to conventional, absorption-based methods. We investigated native, non-fixed whole breast samples using a grating interferometer with an X-ray tube-based configuration. Our approach simultaneously recorded absorption, differential phase contrast and small-angle scattering signals. The results show that this novel technique - combined with a dedicated image fusion algorithm - has the potential to deliver enhanced breast imaging with complementary information for an improved diagnostic process.

Phase-contrast enhanced mammography: A new diagnostic tool for breast imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Zhentian; Thuering, Thomas; David, Christian; Roessl, Ewald; Trippel, Mafalda; Kubik-Huch, Rahel A.; Singer, Gad; Hohl, Michael K.; Hauser, Nik; Stampanoni, Marco [Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Laboratory for Micro and Nanotechnology, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Philips Technologie GmbH, Roentgenstrasse 24, 22335 Hamburg (Germany); Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital Baden, 5404 Baden (Switzerland); Department of Radiology, Kantonsspital Baden, 5404 Baden (Switzerland); Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital Baden, 5404 Baden (Switzerland); Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Interdisciplinary Breast Center Baden, Kantonsspital Baden, 5404 Baden (Switzerland); Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland and Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zuerich, 8092 Zuerich (Switzerland)

2012-07-31

Phase contrast and scattering-based X-ray imaging can potentially revolutionize the radiological approach to breast imaging by providing additional and complementary information to conventional, absorption-based methods. We investigated native, non-fixed whole breast samples using a grating interferometer with an X-ray tube-based configuration. Our approach simultaneously recorded absorption, differential phase contrast and small-angle scattering signals. The results show that this novel technique - combined with a dedicated image fusion algorithm - has the potential to deliver enhanced breast imaging with complementary information for an improved diagnostic process.

Reducing charging effects in scanning electron microscope images by Rayleigh contrast stretching method (RCS).

Science.gov (United States)

Wan Ismail, W Z; Sim, K S; Tso, C P; Ting, H Y

2011-01-01

To reduce undesirable charging effects in scanning electron microscope images, Rayleigh contrast stretching is developed and employed. First, re-scaling is performed on the input image histograms with Rayleigh algorithm. Then, contrast stretching or contrast adjustment is implemented to improve the images while reducing the contrast charging artifacts. This technique has been compared to some existing histogram equalization (HE) extension techniques: recursive sub-image HE, contrast stretching dynamic HE, multipeak HE and recursive mean separate HE. Other post processing methods, such as wavelet approach, spatial filtering, and exponential contrast stretching, are compared as well. Overall, the proposed method produces better image compensation in reducing charging artifacts. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microbubbles as contrast agent for in-line x-ray phase-contrast imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xi Yan; Zhao Jun; Tang Rongbiao; Wang Yujie

2011-01-01

In the present study, we investigated the potential of gas-filled microbubbles as contrast agents for in-line x-ray phase-contrast imaging (PCI) in biomedical applications. When imaging parameters are optimized, the microbubbles function as microlenses that focus the incoming x-rays to form bright spots, which can significantly enhance the image contrast. Since microbubbles have been shown to be safe contrast agents in clinical ultrasonography, this contrast-enhancement procedure for PCI may have promising utility in biomedical applications, especially when the dose of radiation is a serious concern. In this study, we performed both numerical simulations and ex vivo experiments to investigate the formation of the contrast and the effectiveness of microbubbles as contrast agents in PCI.

High-contrast imaging in the cloud with klipReduce and Findr

Science.gov (United States)

Haug-Baltzell, Asher; Males, Jared R.; Morzinski, Katie M.; Wu, Ya-Lin; Merchant, Nirav; Lyons, Eric; Close, Laird M.

2016-08-01

Astronomical data sets are growing ever larger, and the area of high contrast imaging of exoplanets is no exception. With the advent of fast, low-noise detectors operating at 10 to 1000 Hz, huge numbers of images can be taken during a single hours-long observation. High frame rates offer several advantages, such as improved registration, frame selection, and improved speckle calibration. However, advanced image processing algorithms are computationally challenging to apply. Here we describe a parallelized, cloud-based data reduction system developed for the Magellan Adaptive Optics VisAO camera, which is capable of rapidly exploring tens of thousands of parameter sets affecting the Karhunen-Loève image processing (KLIP) algorithm to produce high-quality direct images of exoplanets. We demonstrate these capabilities with a visible wavelength high contrast data set of a hydrogen-accreting brown dwarf companion.

Post double-contrast sigmoid flush: An adjuvant technique in imaging diverticular disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lappas, J.C.; Maglinte, D.D.T.; Kopecky, K.K.; Cockerill, E.M.; Lehman, G.A.

1987-01-01

In a prospective study, the effect of a low-density contrast medium infusion was evaluated as an adjunct to high-density double-contrast medium sigmoid imaging. Following a double-contrast medium barium enema (DCBE), 52 consecutive patients with sigmoid diverticulosis received an additional 500-700-mL enema with either water or a 1.5%CT barium suspension. Rectosigmoid films were evaluated for luminal distention, visualization of the interhaustral space, definition of diverticula, and interpretation of polypoid defects. While double-contrast medium views were excellent in 21%, improvement in multiple factors by water or 1.5% barium flush resulted in improved sigmoid images in 65% and 73% of patients, respectively. Polyps may be confirmed and artifactual defects confidently excluded. Sigmoid flush, particularly with low-density barium, is a simple adjunct to DCBE that improves visualization of the diverticular sigmoid

Reducing contrast contamination in radial turbo-spin-echo acquisitions by combining a narrow-band KWIC filter with parallel imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Daniel; Breuer, Felix A; Völker, Michael; Brandt, Tobias; Griswold, Mark A; Jakob, Peter M; Blaimer, Martin

2014-12-01

Cartesian turbo spin-echo (TSE) and radial TSE images are usually reconstructed by assembling data containing different contrast information into a single k-space. This approach results in mixed contrast contributions in the images, which may reduce their diagnostic value. The goal of this work is to improve the image contrast from radial TSE acquisitions by reducing the contribution of signals with undesired contrast information. Radial TSE acquisitions allow the reconstruction of multiple images with different T2 contrasts using the k-space weighted image contrast (KWIC) filter. In this work, the image contrast is improved by reducing the band-width of the KWIC filter. Data for the reconstruction of a single image are selected from within a small temporal range around the desired echo time. The resulting dataset is undersampled and, therefore, an iterative parallel imaging algorithm is applied to remove aliasing artifacts. Radial TSE images of the human brain reconstructed with the proposed method show an improved contrast when compared with Cartesian TSE images or radial TSE images with conventional KWIC reconstructions. The proposed method provides multi-contrast images from radial TSE data with contrasts similar to multi spin-echo images. Contaminations from unwanted contrast weightings are strongly reduced. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Advanced Contrast Agents for Multimodal Biomedical Imaging Based on Nanotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Calle, Daniel; Ballesteros, Paloma; Cerdán, Sebastián

2018-01-01

Clinical imaging modalities have reached a prominent role in medical diagnosis and patient management in the last decades. Different image methodologies as Positron Emission Tomography, Single Photon Emission Tomography, X-Rays, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging are in continuous evolution to satisfy the increasing demands of current medical diagnosis. Progress in these methodologies has been favored by the parallel development of increasingly more powerful contrast agents. These are molecules that enhance the intrinsic contrast of the images in the tissues where they accumulate, revealing noninvasively the presence of characteristic molecular targets or differential physiopathological microenvironments. The contrast agent field is currently moving to improve the performance of these molecules by incorporating the advantages that modern nanotechnology offers. These include, mainly, the possibilities to combine imaging and therapeutic capabilities over the same theranostic platform or improve the targeting efficiency in vivo by molecular engineering of the nanostructures. In this review, we provide an introduction to multimodal imaging methods in biomedicine, the sub-nanometric imaging agents previously used and the development of advanced multimodal and theranostic imaging agents based in nanotechnology. We conclude providing some illustrative examples from our own laboratories, including recent progress in theranostic formulations of magnetoliposomes containing ω-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids to treat inflammatory diseases, or the use of stealth liposomes engineered with a pH-sensitive nanovalve to release their cargo specifically in the acidic extracellular pH microenvironment of tumors.

Synchrotron-based DEI for bio-imaging and DEI-CT to image phantoms with contrast agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, Donepudi V.; Swapna, Medasani; Cesareo, Roberto; Brunetti, Antonio; Akatsuka, Tako; Yuasa, Tetsuya; Zhong, Zhong; Takeda, Tohoru; Gigante, Giovanni E.

2012-01-01

The introduction of water, physiological, or iodine as contrast agents is shown to enhance minute image features in synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction radiographic and tomographic imaging. Anatomical features of rat kidney, such as papillary ducts, ureter, renal artery and renal vein are clearly distinguishable. Olfactory bulb, olfactory tact, and descending bundles of the rat brain are visible with improved contrast. - Highlights: ► Distinguishable anatomical structures features of rat kidney and rat brain are acquired with Sy-DEI in planar mode. ► Images of a small brain phantom and cylindrical phantom are acquired in tomography mode (Sy-DEI-CT) with contrast agents. ► Sy-DEI and Sy-DEI-CT techniques provide new source of information related to biological microanatomy.

Radiation dose optimization in pediatric temporal bone computed tomography: influence of tube tension on image contrast and image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nauer, Claude Bertrand; Zubler, Christoph; Weisstanner, Christian; Stieger, Christof; Senn, Pascal; Arnold, Andreas

2012-01-01

The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of tube tension reduction on image contrast and image quality in pediatric temporal bone computed tomography (CT). Seven lamb heads with infant-equivalent sizes were scanned repeatedly, using four tube tensions from 140 to 80 kV while the CT-Dose Index (CTDI) was held constant. Scanning was repeated with four CTDI values from 30 to 3 mGy. Image contrast was calculated for the middle ear as the Hounsfield unit (HU) difference between bone and air and for the inner ear as the HU difference between bone and fluid. The influence of tube tension on high-contrast detail delineation was evaluated using a phantom. The subjective image quality of eight middle and inner ear structures was assessed using a 4-point scale (scores 1-2 = insufficient; scores 3-4 = sufficient). Middle and inner ear contrast showed a near linear increase with tube tension reduction (r = -0.94/-0.88) and was highest at 80 kV. Tube tension had no influence on spatial resolution. Subjective image quality analysis showed significantly better scoring at lower tube tensions, with highest image quality at 80 kV. However, image quality improvement was most relevant for low-dose scans. Image contrast in the temporal bone is significantly higher at low tube tensions, leading to a better subjective image quality. Highest contrast and best quality were found at 80 kV. This image quality improvement might be utilized to further reduce the radiation dose in pediatric low-dose CT protocols. (orig.)

Feature and Contrast Enhancement of Mammographic Image Based on Multiscale Analysis and Morphology

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Shibin Wu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A new algorithm for feature and contrast enhancement of mammographic images is proposed in this paper. The approach bases on multiscale transform and mathematical morphology. First of all, the Laplacian Gaussian pyramid operator is applied to transform the mammography into different scale subband images. In addition, the detail or high frequency subimages are equalized by contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE and low-pass subimages are processed by mathematical morphology. Finally, the enhanced image of feature and contrast is reconstructed from the Laplacian Gaussian pyramid coefficients modified at one or more levels by contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization and mathematical morphology, respectively. The enhanced image is processed by global nonlinear operator. The experimental results show that the presented algorithm is effective for feature and contrast enhancement of mammogram. The performance evaluation of the proposed algorithm is measured by contrast evaluation criterion for image, signal-noise-ratio (SNR, and contrast improvement index (CII.

High spatial resolution and high contrast visualization of brain arteries and veins. Impact of blood pool contrast agent and water-selective excitation imaging at 3T

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spuentrup, E.; Jacobs, J.E.; Kleimann, J.F.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To investigate a blood pool contrast agent and water-selective excitation imaging at 3 T for high spatial and high contrast imaging of brain vessels including the veins. Methods and Results: 48 clinical patients (47 ± 18 years old) were included. Based on clinical findings, twenty-four patients received a single dose of standard extracellular Gadoterate-meglumine (Dotarem registered ) and 24 received the blood pool contrast agent Gadofosveset (Vasovist registered ). After finishing routine MR protocols, all patients were investigated with two high spatial resolution (0.15 mm 3 voxel size) gradient echo sequences in random order in the equilibrium phase (steady-state) as approved by the review board: A standard RF-spoiled gradient-echo sequence (HR-SS, TR/TE 5.1 / 2.3 msec, FA 30 ) and a fat-suppressed gradient-echo sequence with water-selective excitation (HR-FS, 1331 binominal-pulse, TR/TE 8.8 / 3.8 msec, FA 30 ). The images were subjectively assessed (image quality with vessel contrast, artifacts, depiction of lesions) by two investigators and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were compared using the Student's t-test. The image quality and CNR in the HR-FS were significantly superior compared to the HR-SS for both contrast agents (p < 0.05). The CNR was also improved when using the blood pool agent but only to a minor extent while the subjective image quality was similar for both contrast agents. Conclusion: The utilized sequence with water-selective excitation improved image quality and CNR properties in high spatial resolution imaging of brain arteries and veins. The used blood pool contrast agent improved the CNR only to a minor extent over the extracellular contrast agent. (orig.)

Local scattering property scales flow speed estimation in laser speckle contrast imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miao, Peng; Chao, Zhen; Feng, Shihan; Ji, Yuanyuan; Yu, Hang; Thakor, Nitish V; Li, Nan

2015-01-01

Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) has been widely used in in vivo blood flow imaging. However, the effect of local scattering property (scattering coefficient µ s ) on blood flow speed estimation has not been well investigated. In this study, such an effect was quantified and involved in relation between speckle autocorrelation time τ c and flow speed v based on simulation flow experiments. For in vivo blood flow imaging, an improved estimation strategy was developed to eliminate the estimation bias due to the inhomogeneous distribution of the scattering property. Compared to traditional LSCI, a new estimation method significantly suppressed the imaging noise and improves the imaging contrast of vasculatures. Furthermore, the new method successfully captured the blood flow changes and vascular constriction patterns in rats’ cerebral cortex from normothermia to mild and moderate hypothermia. (letter)

X-ray phase-contrast imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Endrizzi, Marco

2018-01-01

X-ray imaging is a standard tool for the non-destructive inspection of the internal structure of samples. It finds application in a vast diversity of fields: medicine, biology, many engineering disciplines, palaeontology and earth sciences are just few examples. The fundamental principle underpinning the image formation have remained the same for over a century: the X-rays traversing the sample are subjected to different amount of absorption in different parts of the sample. By means of phase-sensitive techniques it is possible to generate contrast also in relation to the phase shifts imparted by the sample and to extend the capabilities of X-ray imaging to those details that lack enough absorption contrast to be visualised in conventional radiography. A general overview of X-ray phase contrast imaging techniques is presented in this review, along with more recent advances in this fast evolving field and some examples of applications.

Improvements on Fresnel arrays for high contrast imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Wilhem, Roux; Laurent, Koechlin

2018-03-01

The Fresnel Diffractive Array Imager (FDAI) is based on a new optical concept for space telescopes, developed at Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France. For the visible and near-infrared it has already proven its performances in resolution and dynamic range. We propose it now for astrophysical applications in the ultraviolet with apertures from 6 to 30 meters, aimed at imaging in UV faint astrophysical sources close to bright ones, as well as other applications requiring high dynamic range. Of course the project needs first a probatory mission at small aperture to validate the concept in space. In collaboration with institutes in Spain and Russia, we will propose to board a small prototype of Fresnel imager on the International Space Station (ISS), with a program combining technical tests and astrophysical targets. The spectral domain should contain the Lyman- α line ( λ = 121 nm). As part of its preparation, we improve the Fresnel array design for a better Point Spread Function in UV, presently on a small laboratory prototype working at 260 nm. Moreover, we plan to validate a new optical design and chromatic correction adapted to UV. In this article we present the results of numerical propagations showing the improvement in dynamic range obtained by combining and adapting three methods : central obturation, optimization of the bars mesh holding the Fresnel rings, and orthogonal apodization. We briefly present the proposed astrophysical program of a probatory mission with such UV optics.

Radiation dose optimization in pediatric temporal bone computed tomography: influence of tube tension on image contrast and image quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Nauer, Claude Bertrand; Zubler, Christoph; Weisstanner, Christian; Stieger, Christof; Senn, Pascal; Arnold, Andreas

2012-03-01

The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of tube tension reduction on image contrast and image quality in pediatric temporal bone computed tomography (CT). Seven lamb heads with infant-equivalent sizes were scanned repeatedly, using four tube tensions from 140 to 80 kV while the CT-Dose Index (CTDI) was held constant. Scanning was repeated with four CTDI values from 30 to 3 mGy. Image contrast was calculated for the middle ear as the Hounsfield unit (HU) difference between bone and air and for the inner ear as the HU difference between bone and fluid. The influence of tube tension on high-contrast detail delineation was evaluated using a phantom. The subjective image quality of eight middle and inner ear structures was assessed using a 4-point scale (scores 1-2 = insufficient; scores 3-4 = sufficient). Middle and inner ear contrast showed a near linear increase with tube tension reduction (r = -0.94/-0.88) and was highest at 80 kV. Tube tension had no influence on spatial resolution. Subjective image quality analysis showed significantly better scoring at lower tube tensions, with highest image quality at 80 kV. However, image quality improvement was most relevant for low-dose scans. Image contrast in the temporal bone is significantly higher at low tube tensions, leading to a better subjective image quality. Highest contrast and best quality were found at 80 kV. This image quality improvement might be utilized to further reduce the radiation dose in pediatric low-dose CT protocols.

X-ray phase-contrast tomosynthesis for improved breast tissue discrimination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schleede, Simone; Bech, Martin; Grandl, Susanne; Sztrókay, Aniko; Herzen, Julia; Mayr, Doris; Stockmar, Marco; Potdevin, Guillaume

2014-01-01

Purpose: Attenuation-based tomosynthesis has proven to successfully resolve the glandular tissue overlap present in mammography. However, the ability of tomosynthesis to differentiate tumorous and glandular tissue remains limited, due to the small differences in X-ray attenuation in breast tissue. One possibility to overcome this limitation and to further increase the diagnostic value of tomosynthesis exams, is the application of recently developed grating-based phase-contrast methods, which provide complementary information on the phase shift and the local scattering power of the sample. In this study, we report on first phase-contrast breast tomosynthesis results of a mastectomy sample slice with an invasive ductal carcinoma. Material and methods: A slice of a mastectomy sample with histologically proven invasive ductal cancer was imaged at the synchrotron radiation source ESRF (Grenoble, France). We used a two-grating interferometer setup at the ninth fractional Talbot distance and with an X-ray energy of 23 keV. In grating interferometry absorption, differential phase, and scattering images are recorded simultaneously. The tomosynthesis scan comprises 61 projections. Multimodal tomosynthesis results were reconstructed using a standard filtered back-projection approach. Our findings are supported by a comparison of tomographic views to histopathology. Results: Phase-contrast tomosynthesis combines the advantage of improved soft-tissue discrimination in phase-contrast imaging with the ability of tomosynthesis to provide a third dimension so that improved feature visibility is not hampered by superposition artifacts. Our results indicate superior diagnostic value due to the depth resolution supplied in tomosynthesis imaging; a region of necrotic tissue that is obscured in a projection image can clearly be depicted in one single tomosynthesis slice. Compared to absorption tomosynthesis alone, soft tissue contrast is significantly enhanced in phase-contrast

X-ray phase-contrast tomosynthesis for improved breast tissue discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Schleede, Simone; Bech, Martin; Grandl, Susanne; Sztrókay, Aniko; Herzen, Julia; Mayr, Doris; Stockmar, Marco; Potdevin, Guillaume; Zanette, Irene; Rack, Alexander; Weitkamp, Timm; Pfeiffer, Franz

2014-03-01

Attenuation-based tomosynthesis has proven to successfully resolve the glandular tissue overlap present in mammography. However, the ability of tomosynthesis to differentiate tumorous and glandular tissue remains limited, due to the small differences in X-ray attenuation in breast tissue. One possibility to overcome this limitation and to further increase the diagnostic value of tomosynthesis exams, is the application of recently developed grating-based phase-contrast methods, which provide complementary information on the phase shift and the local scattering power of the sample. In this study, we report on first phase-contrast breast tomosynthesis results of a mastectomy sample slice with an invasive ductal carcinoma. A slice of a mastectomy sample with histologically proven invasive ductal cancer was imaged at the synchrotron radiation source ESRF (Grenoble, France). We used a two-grating interferometer setup at the ninth fractional Talbot distance and with an X-ray energy of 23 keV. In grating interferometry absorption, differential phase, and scattering images are recorded simultaneously. The tomosynthesis scan comprises 61 projections. Multimodal tomosynthesis results were reconstructed using a standard filtered back-projection approach. Our findings are supported by a comparison of tomographic views to histopathology. Phase-contrast tomosynthesis combines the advantage of improved soft-tissue discrimination in phase-contrast imaging with the ability of tomosynthesis to provide a third dimension so that improved feature visibility is not hampered by superposition artifacts. Our results indicate superior diagnostic value due to the depth resolution supplied in tomosynthesis imaging; a region of necrotic tissue that is obscured in a projection image can clearly be depicted in one single tomosynthesis slice. Compared to absorption tomosynthesis alone, soft tissue contrast is significantly enhanced in phase-contrast tomosynthesis views, where fibrous structures

Morphological image processing for quantitative shape analysis of biomedical structures: effective contrast enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimori, Yoshitaka

2013-01-01

A contrast enhancement approach utilizing a new type of mathematical morphology called rotational morphological processing is introduced. The method is quantitatively evaluated and then applied to some medical images. Image processing methods significantly contribute to visualization of images captured by biomedical modalities (such as mammography, X-ray computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and light and electron microscopy). Quantitative interpretation of the deluge of complicated biomedical images, however, poses many research challenges, one of which is to enhance structural features that are scarcely perceptible to the human eye. This study introduces a contrast enhancement approach based on a new type of mathematical morphology called rotational morphological processing. The proposed method is applied to medical images for the enhancement of structural features. The effectiveness of the method is evaluated quantitatively by the contrast improvement ratio (CIR). The CIR of the proposed method is 12.1, versus 4.7 and 0.1 for two conventional contrast enhancement methods, clearly indicating the high contrasting capability of the method

Evaluation of chirp reversal power modulation sequence for contrast agent imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novell, A; Sennoga, CA; Escoffre, JM; Chaline, J; Bouakaz, A

2014-01-01

Over the last decade, significant research effort has been focused on the use of chirp for contrast agent imaging because chirps are known to significantly increase imaging contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). New imaging schemes, such as chirp reversal (CR), have been developed to improve contrast detection by increasing non-linear microbubble responses. In this study we evaluated the contrast enhancement efficiency of various chirped imaging sequences in combination with well-established imaging schemes such as power modulation (PM) and pulse inversion (PI). The imaging schemes tested were implemented on a fully programmable open scanner and evaluated by ultrasonically scanning (excitation frequency of 2.5 MHz; amplitude of 350 kPa) a tissue-mimicking flow phantom comprising a 4 mm diameter tube through which aqueous dispersions (dilution fraction of 1/2000) of the commercial ultrasound contrast agent, SonoVue ® were continuously circulated. The recovery of non-linear microbubble responses after chirp compression requires the development and the optimization of a specific filter. A compression filter was therefore designed and used to compress and extract several non-linear components from the received microbubble responses. The results showed that using chirps increased the image CNR by approximately 10 dB, as compared to conventional Gaussian apodized sine burst excitation but degraded the axial resolution by a factor of 1.4, at −3 dB. We demonstrated that the highest CNR and contrast-to-noise ratio (CTR) were achievable when CR was combined with PM as compared to other imaging schemes such as PI. (paper)

Improvements in SPECT technology for cerebral imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esser, P.D.

1985-01-01

Advancement in three major areas of SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) technology have resulted in improved image quality for cerebral studies. In the first area, single-crystal camera electronics, extensive use of microprocessors, custom digital circuitry, an data bus architecture have allowed precise external control of all gantry motions and improved signal processing. The new digital circuitry permits energy, uniformity, and linearity corrections to be an integral part of the processing electronics. Calibration of these correlations is controlled by algorithms stored in the camera's memory. The second area of improved SPECT technology is camera collimation and related imaging techniques. In this area, system resolution has been improved without loss of sensitivity by decreasing the air gap between patient and collimator surface. Since cerebral studies characteristically image high-contrast regions less than 1 cm in size, image quality has been improved by increasing collimator resolution even at the expense of sensitivity. Increased resolution also improved image contrast for studies using 123 I-labeled pharmaceuticals with 3% to 4% 124 I contamination. 65 references

Grating-based phase contrast tomosynthesis imaging: Proof-of-concept experimental studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Ke; Ge, Yongshuai; Garrett, John; Bevins, Nicholas; Zambelli, Joseph; Chen, Guang-Hong

2014-01-01

Purpose: This paper concerns the feasibility of x-ray differential phase contrast (DPC) tomosynthesis imaging using a grating-based DPC benchtop experimental system, which is equipped with a commercial digital flat-panel detector and a medical-grade rotating-anode x-ray tube. An extensive system characterization was performed to quantify its imaging performance. Methods: The major components of the benchtop system include a diagnostic x-ray tube with a 1.0 mm nominal focal spot size, a flat-panel detector with 96 μm pixel pitch, a sample stage that rotates within a limited angular span of ±30°, and a Talbot-Lau interferometer with three x-ray gratings. A total of 21 projection views acquired with 3° increments were used to reconstruct three sets of tomosynthetic image volumes, including the conventional absorption contrast tomosynthesis image volume (AC-tomo) reconstructed using the filtered-backprojection (FBP) algorithm with the ramp kernel, the phase contrast tomosynthesis image volume (PC-tomo) reconstructed using FBP with a Hilbert kernel, and the differential phase contrast tomosynthesis image volume (DPC-tomo) reconstructed using the shift-and-add algorithm. Three inhouse physical phantoms containing tissue-surrogate materials were used to characterize the signal linearity, the signal difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR), the three-dimensional noise power spectrum (3D NPS), and the through-plane artifact spread function (ASF). Results: While DPC-tomo highlights edges and interfaces in the image object, PC-tomo removes the differential nature of the DPC projection data and its pixel values are linearly related to the decrement of the real part of the x-ray refractive index. The SDNR values of polyoxymethylene in water and polystyrene in oil are 1.5 and 1.0, respectively, in AC-tomo, and the values were improved to 3.0 and 2.0, respectively, in PC-tomo. PC-tomo and AC-tomo demonstrate equivalent ASF, but their noise characteristics quantified by the 3D NPS

Grating-based phase contrast tomosynthesis imaging: Proof-of-concept experimental studies

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ke; Ge, Yongshuai; Garrett, John; Bevins, Nicholas; Zambelli, Joseph; Chen, Guang-Hong

2014-01-01

Purpose: This paper concerns the feasibility of x-ray differential phase contrast (DPC) tomosynthesis imaging using a grating-based DPC benchtop experimental system, which is equipped with a commercial digital flat-panel detector and a medical-grade rotating-anode x-ray tube. An extensive system characterization was performed to quantify its imaging performance. Methods: The major components of the benchtop system include a diagnostic x-ray tube with a 1.0 mm nominal focal spot size, a flat-panel detector with 96 μm pixel pitch, a sample stage that rotates within a limited angular span of ±30°, and a Talbot-Lau interferometer with three x-ray gratings. A total of 21 projection views acquired with 3° increments were used to reconstruct three sets of tomosynthetic image volumes, including the conventional absorption contrast tomosynthesis image volume (AC-tomo) reconstructed using the filtered-backprojection (FBP) algorithm with the ramp kernel, the phase contrast tomosynthesis image volume (PC-tomo) reconstructed using FBP with a Hilbert kernel, and the differential phase contrast tomosynthesis image volume (DPC-tomo) reconstructed using the shift-and-add algorithm. Three inhouse physical phantoms containing tissue-surrogate materials were used to characterize the signal linearity, the signal difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR), the three-dimensional noise power spectrum (3D NPS), and the through-plane artifact spread function (ASF). Results: While DPC-tomo highlights edges and interfaces in the image object, PC-tomo removes the differential nature of the DPC projection data and its pixel values are linearly related to the decrement of the real part of the x-ray refractive index. The SDNR values of polyoxymethylene in water and polystyrene in oil are 1.5 and 1.0, respectively, in AC-tomo, and the values were improved to 3.0 and 2.0, respectively, in PC-tomo. PC-tomo and AC-tomo demonstrate equivalent ASF, but their noise characteristics quantified by the 3D NPS

Improvement of contrast and quantification of images of local cerebral blood flow got by mono photonic emission tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kayayan, R.

1993-01-01

Here is a presentation of a thesis; the aim of the work was to improve the images got by tomography of type gamma cameras. A comparative evaluation was made between 133 Xe then 99mTc-HMPAO (Hexamethyl Propylene Amino Oxine); ten patients underwent the two examinations and the correlations between the measures were studied; the correlation is significant; then programs were built to improve the spatial resolution and the contrast of 99mTc-HMPAO cuts, obtained with the double head gamma cameras system. The resolution is improved but the treatment needing a long time, the use of this method is only possible with systems including a vectorial processor

Advanced image-based virtual monoenergetic dual-energy CT angiography of the abdomen: optimization of kiloelectron volt settings to improve image contrast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albrecht, Moritz H.; Scholtz, Jan-Erik; Huesers, Kristina; Beeres, Martin; Bucher, Andreas M.; Kaup, Moritz; Martin, Simon S.; Fischer, Sebastian; Bodelle, Boris; Bauer, Ralf W.; Lehnert, Thomas; Vogl, Thomas J.; Wichmann, Julian L.

2016-01-01

To compare quantitative image quality parameters in abdominal dual-energy computed tomography angiography (DE-CTA) using an advanced image-based (Mono+) reconstruction algorithm for virtual monoenergetic imaging and standard DE-CTA. Fifty-five patients (36 men; mean age, 64.2 ± 12.7 years) who underwent abdominal DE-CTA were retrospectively included. Mono + images were reconstructed at 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 keV levels and as standard linearly blended M 0 .6 images (60 % 100 kV, 40 % 140 kV). The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the common hepatic (CHA), splenic (SA), superior mesenteric (SMA) and left renal arteries (LRA) were objectively measured. Mono+ DE-CTA series showed a statistically superior CNR for 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 keV (P < 0.031) compared to M 0 .6 images for all investigated arteries except SMA at 80 keV (P = 0.08). CNR at 40 keV revealed a mean relative increase of 287.7 % compared to linearly blended images among all assessed arteries (P < 0.001). SNR of Mono+ images was consistently significantly higher at 40, 50, 60 and 70 keV compared to M 0 .6 for CHA and SA (P < 0.009). Compared to linearly blended images, Mono+ reconstructions at low keV levels of abdominal DE-CTA datasets significantly improve quantitative image quality. (orig.)

A new combined technique for automatic contrast enhancement of digital images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail A. Humied

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Some low contrast images have certain characteristics makes it difficult to use traditional methods to improve it. An example of these characteristics, that the amplitudes of images histogram components are very high at one location on the gray scale and very small in the rest of the gray scale. In the present paper, a new method is described. It can deal with such cases. The proposed method is a combination of Histogram Equalization (HE and Fast Gray-Level Grouping (FGLG. The basic procedure of this method is segments the original histogram of a low contrast image into two sub-histograms according to the location of the highest amplitude of the histogram components, and achieving contrast enhancement by equalizing the left segment of the histogram components using (HE technique and using (FGLG technique to equalize the right segment of this histogram components. The results have shown that the proposed method does not only produce better results than each individual contrast enhancement technique, but it is also fully automated. Moreover, it is applicable to a broad variety of images that satisfy the properties mentioned above and suffer from low contrast.

Contrast-enhanced photoacoustic imaging with an optical wavelength of 1064 nm

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jeesu; Park, Sara; Park, Gyeong Bae; Choi, Wonseok; Jeong, Unyong; Kim, Chulhong

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a biomedical imaging method that can provide both structural and functional information of living tissues beyond the optical diffusion limit by combining the concepts of conventional optical and ultrasound imaging methods. Although endogenous chromophores can be utilized to acquire PA images of biological tissues, exogenous contrast agents that absorb near-infrared (NIR) lights have been extensively explored to improve the contrast and penetration depth of PA images. Here, we demonstrate Bi2Se3 nanoplates, that strongly absorbs NIR lights, as a contrast agent for PA imaging. In particularly, the Bi2Se3 nanoplates produce relatively strong PA signals with an optical wavelength of 1064 nm, which has several advantages for deep tissue imaging including: (1) relatively low absorption by other intrinsic chromophores, (2) cost-effective light source using Nd:YAG laser, and (3) higher available energy than other NIR lights according to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety limit. We have investigated deep tissue imaging capability of the Bi2Se3 nanoplates by acquiring in vitro PA images of microtubes under chicken breast tissues. We have also acquired in vivo PA images of bladders, gastrointestinal tracts, and sentinel lymph nodes in mice after injection of the Bi2Se3 nanoplates to verify their applicability to a variety of biomedical research. The results show the promising potential of the Bi2Se3 nanoplates as a PA contrast agent for deep tissue imaging with an optical wavelength of 1064 nm.

Assessment of contrast enhanced respiration managed cone-beam CT for image guided radiotherapy of intrahepatic tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, Nikolaj K. G.; Stewart, Errol; Lock, Michael; Fisher, Barbara; Kozak, Roman; Chen, Jeff; Lee, Ting-Yim; Wong, Eugene

2014-01-01

Purpose: Contrast enhancement and respiration management are widely used during image acquisition for radiotherapy treatment planning of liver tumors along with respiration management at the treatment unit. However, neither respiration management nor intravenous contrast is commonly used during cone-beam CT (CBCT) image acquisition for alignment prior to radiotherapy. In this study, the authors investigate the potential gains of injecting an iodinated contrast agent in combination with respiration management during CBCT acquisition for liver tumor radiotherapy. Methods: Five rabbits with implanted liver tumors were subjected to CBCT with and without motion management and contrast injection. The acquired CBCT images were registered to the planning CT to determine alignment accuracy and dosimetric impact. The authors developed a simulation tool for simulating contrast-enhanced CBCT images from dynamic contrast enhanced CT imaging (DCE-CT) to determine optimal contrast injection protocols. The tool was validated against contrast-enhanced CBCT of the rabbit subjects and was used for five human patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma. Results: In the rabbit experiment, when neither motion management nor contrast was used, tumor centroid misalignment between planning image and CBCT was 9.2 mm. This was reduced to 2.8 mm when both techniques were employed. Tumors were not visualized in clinical CBCT images of human subjects. Simulated contrast-enhanced CBCT was found to improve tumor contrast in all subjects. Different patients were found to require different contrast injections to maximize tumor contrast. Conclusions: Based on the authors’ animal study, respiration managed contrast enhanced CBCT improves IGRT significantly. Contrast enhanced CBCT benefits from patient specific tracer kinetics determined from DCE-CT

Assessment of contrast enhanced respiration managed cone-beam CT for image guided radiotherapy of intrahepatic tumors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, Nikolaj K. G., E-mail: nkyj@regionsjaelland.dk [Physics and Engineering, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario N6A3K7 (Canada); Stewart, Errol [Radiology, St. Joseph' s Health Care, London, Ontario N6A 4V2 (Canada); Imaging Research Lab, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario N6A 5B7 (Canada); Imaging Program, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario N6C 2R5 (Canada); Lock, Michael; Fisher, Barbara [Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario N6A3K7 (Canada); Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 4L6 (Canada); Kozak, Roman [Radiology, St. Joseph' s Health Care, London, Ontario N6A 4V2 (Canada); Chen, Jeff [Physics and Engineering, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario N6A3K7 (Canada); Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1 (Canada); Lee, Ting-Yim [Radiology, St. Joseph' s Health Care, London, Ontario N6A 4V2 (Canada); Imaging Research Lab, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario N6A 5B7 (Canada); Imaging Program, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario N6C 2R5 (Canada); Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1 (Canada); Wong, Eugene [Physics and Engineering, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario N6A3K7 (Canada); Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1 (Canada); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7 (Canada)

2014-05-15

Purpose: Contrast enhancement and respiration management are widely used during image acquisition for radiotherapy treatment planning of liver tumors along with respiration management at the treatment unit. However, neither respiration management nor intravenous contrast is commonly used during cone-beam CT (CBCT) image acquisition for alignment prior to radiotherapy. In this study, the authors investigate the potential gains of injecting an iodinated contrast agent in combination with respiration management during CBCT acquisition for liver tumor radiotherapy. Methods: Five rabbits with implanted liver tumors were subjected to CBCT with and without motion management and contrast injection. The acquired CBCT images were registered to the planning CT to determine alignment accuracy and dosimetric impact. The authors developed a simulation tool for simulating contrast-enhanced CBCT images from dynamic contrast enhanced CT imaging (DCE-CT) to determine optimal contrast injection protocols. The tool was validated against contrast-enhanced CBCT of the rabbit subjects and was used for five human patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma. Results: In the rabbit experiment, when neither motion management nor contrast was used, tumor centroid misalignment between planning image and CBCT was 9.2 mm. This was reduced to 2.8 mm when both techniques were employed. Tumors were not visualized in clinical CBCT images of human subjects. Simulated contrast-enhanced CBCT was found to improve tumor contrast in all subjects. Different patients were found to require different contrast injections to maximize tumor contrast. Conclusions: Based on the authors’ animal study, respiration managed contrast enhanced CBCT improves IGRT significantly. Contrast enhanced CBCT benefits from patient specific tracer kinetics determined from DCE-CT.

Contrast enhancement of mail piece images

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Yong-Chul; Sridhar, Ramalingam; Demjanenko, Victor; Palumbo, Paul W.; Hull, Jonathan J.

1992-08-01

A New approach to contrast enhancement of mail piece images is presented. The contrast enhancement is used as a preprocessing step in the real-time address block location (RT-ABL) system. The RT-ABL system processes a stream of mail piece images and locates destination address blocks. Most of the mail pieces (classified into letters) show high contrast between background and foreground. As an extreme case, however, the seasonal greeting cards usually use colored envelopes which results in reduced contrast osured by an error rate by using a linear distributed associative memory (DAM). The DAM is trained to recognize the spectra of three classes of images: with high, medium, and low OCR error rates. The DAM is not forced to make a classification every time. It is allowed to reject as unknown a spectrum presented that does not closely resemble any that has been stored in the DAM. The DAM was fairly accurate with noisy images but conservative (i.e., rejected several text images as unknowns) when there was little ground and foreground degradations without affecting the nondegraded images. This approach provides local enhancement which adapts to local features. In order to simplify the computation of A and (sigma) , dynamic programming technique is used. Implementation details, performance, and the results on test images are presented in this paper.

Parametric Net Influx Rate Images of 68Ga-DOTATOC and 68Ga-DOTATATE: Quantitative Accuracy and Improved Image Contrast.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilan, Ezgi; Sandström, Mattias; Velikyan, Irina; Sundin, Anders; Eriksson, Barbro; Lubberink, Mark

2017-05-01

68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-DOTATATE are radiolabeled somatostatin analogs used for the diagnosis of somatostatin receptor-expressing neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), and SUV measurements are suggested for treatment monitoring. However, changes in net influx rate ( K i ) may better reflect treatment effects than those of the SUV, and accordingly there is a need to compute parametric images showing K i at the voxel level. The aim of this study was to evaluate parametric methods for computation of parametric K i images by comparison to volume of interest (VOI)-based methods and to assess image contrast in terms of tumor-to-liver ratio. Methods: Ten patients with metastatic NETs underwent a 45-min dynamic PET examination followed by whole-body PET/CT at 1 h after injection of 68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-DOTATATE on consecutive days. Parametric K i images were computed using a basis function method (BFM) implementation of the 2-tissue-irreversible-compartment model and the Patlak method using a descending aorta image-derived input function, and mean tumor K i values were determined for 50% isocontour VOIs and compared with K i values based on nonlinear regression (NLR) of the whole-VOI time-activity curve. A subsample of healthy liver was delineated in the whole-body and K i images, and tumor-to-liver ratios were calculated to evaluate image contrast. Correlation ( R 2 ) and agreement between VOI-based and parametric K i values were assessed using regression and Bland-Altman analysis. Results: The R 2 between NLR-based and parametric image-based (BFM) tumor K i values was 0.98 (slope, 0.81) and 0.97 (slope, 0.88) for 68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-DOTATATE, respectively. For Patlak analysis, the R 2 between NLR-based and parametric-based (Patlak) tumor K i was 0.95 (slope, 0.71) and 0.92 (slope, 0.74) for 68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-DOTATATE, respectively. There was no bias between NLR and parametric-based K i values. Tumor-to-liver contrast was 1.6 and 2.0 times higher in the parametric

Spectral Imaging Technology-Based Evaluation of Radiation Treatment Planning to Remove Contrast Agent Artifacts.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi-Qun, Xu; Wei, Liu; Xin-Ye, Ni

2016-10-01

This study employs dual-source computed tomography single-spectrum imaging to evaluate the effects of contrast agent artifact removal and the computational accuracy of radiotherapy treatment planning improvement. The phantom, including the contrast agent, was used in all experiments. The amounts of iodine in the contrast agent were 30, 15, 7.5, and 0.75 g/100 mL. Two images with different energy values were scanned and captured using dual-source computed tomography (80 and 140 kV). To obtain a fused image, 2 groups of images were processed using single-energy spectrum imaging technology. The Pinnacle planning system was used to measure the computed tomography values of the contrast agent and the surrounding phantom tissue. The difference between radiotherapy treatment planning based on 80 kV, 140 kV, and energy spectrum image was analyzed. For the image with high iodine concentration, the quality of the energy spectrum-fused image was the highest, followed by that of the 140-kV image. That of the 80-kV image was the worst. The difference in the radiotherapy treatment results among the 3 models was significant. When the concentration of iodine was 30 g/100 mL and the distance from the contrast agent at the dose measurement point was 1 cm, the deviation values (P) were 5.95% and 2.20% when image treatment planning was based on 80 and 140 kV, respectively. When the concentration of iodine was 15 g/100 mL, deviation values (P) were -2.64% and -1.69%. Dual-source computed tomography single-energy spectral imaging technology can remove contrast agent artifacts to improve the calculated dose accuracy in radiotherapy treatment planning. © The Author(s) 2015.

Generalized image contrast enhancement technique based on the Heinemann contrast discrimination model

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hong; Nodine, Calvin F.

1996-07-01

This paper presents a generalized image contrast enhancement technique, which equalizes the perceived brightness distribution based on the Heinemann contrast discrimination model. It is based on the mathematically proven existence of a unique solution to a nonlinear equation, and is formulated with easily tunable parameters. The model uses a two-step log-log representation of luminance contrast between targets and surround in a luminous background setting. The algorithm consists of two nonlinear gray scale mapping functions that have seven parameters, two of which are adjustable Heinemann constants. Another parameter is the background gray level. The remaining four parameters are nonlinear functions of the gray-level distribution of the given image, and can be uniquely determined once the previous three are set. Tests have been carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm for increasing the overall contrast of radiology images. The traditional histogram equalization can be reinterpreted as an image enhancement technique based on the knowledge of human contrast perception. In fact, it is a special case of the proposed algorithm.

Perfusion imaging with magnetic-susceptibility contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosen, B.R.; Belliveau, J.W.; Betteridge, D.; Cohen, M.S.; Weisskoff, R.M.; Vevea, J.M.; Rzedzian, R.P.; Brady, T.J.

1989-01-01

In animal models, transient signal los on T2-weighted images has been well documented following intravenous injection of high-magnetic-susceptibility contrast agents that are compartmentalized within the brain intravascular space. These signal changes have been correlated with physiologic parameters, such as blood flow and volume. The advent of whole-body single-shot imaging capability, coupled with the approval of paramagnetic contrasts agents for human use, has enabled the authors to demonstrate susceptibility contrast in the human brain, allowing for generation of functional images. With use of a 1.5-T imaging system gradient-echo images (TE = 60 msec) were acquired in 75 msec. Sequential single-sections images were sampled every 1 second following bolus administration of 0.1 mmol/kg of Gd-DTPA

Modified natural nanoparticles as contrast agents for medical imaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cormode, David P.; Jarzyna, Peter A.; Mulder, Willem J. M.; Fayad, Zahi A.

2010-01-01

The development of novel and effective contrast agents is one of the drivers of the ongoing improvement in medical imaging. Many of the new agents reported are nanoparticle-based. There are a variety of natural nanoparticles known, e.g. lipoproteins, viruses or ferritin. Natural nanoparticles have

Numerical deconvolution to enhance sharpness and contrast of portal images for radiotherapy patient positioning verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Looe, H.K.; Uphoff, Y.; Poppe, B.; Carl von Ossietzky Univ., Oldenburg; Harder, D.; Willborn, K.C.

2012-01-01

The quality of megavoltage clinical portal images is impaired by physical and geometrical effects. This image blurring can be corrected by a fast numerical two-dimensional (2D) deconvolution algorithm implemented in the electronic portal image device. We present some clinical examples of deconvolved portal images and evaluate the clinical advantages achieved by the improved sharpness and contrast. The principle of numerical 2D image deconvolution and the enhancement of sharpness and contrast thereby achieved are shortly explained. The key concept is the convolution kernel K(x,y), the mathematical equivalent of the smearing or blurring of a picture, and the computer-based elimination of this influence. Enhancements of sharpness and contrast were observed in all clinical portal images investigated. The images of fine bone structures were restored. The identification of organ boundaries and anatomical landmarks was improved, thereby permitting a more accurate comparison with the x-ray simulator radiographs. The visibility of prostate gold markers is also shown to be enhanced by deconvolution. The blurring effects of clinical portal images were eliminated by a numerical deconvolution algorithm that leads to better image sharpness and contrast. The fast algorithm permits the image blurring correction to be performed in real time, so that patient positioning verification with increased accuracy can be achieved in clinical practice. (orig.)

Numerical deconvolution to enhance sharpness and contrast of portal images for radiotherapy patient positioning verification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Looe, H.K.; Uphoff, Y.; Poppe, B. [Pius Hospital, Oldenburg (Germany). Clinic for Radiation Therapy; Carl von Ossietzky Univ., Oldenburg (Germany). WG Medical Radiation Physics; Harder, D. [Georg August Univ., Goettingen (Germany). Medical Physics and Biophysics; Willborn, K.C. [Pius Hospital, Oldenburg (Germany). Clinic for Radiation Therapy

2012-02-15

The quality of megavoltage clinical portal images is impaired by physical and geometrical effects. This image blurring can be corrected by a fast numerical two-dimensional (2D) deconvolution algorithm implemented in the electronic portal image device. We present some clinical examples of deconvolved portal images and evaluate the clinical advantages achieved by the improved sharpness and contrast. The principle of numerical 2D image deconvolution and the enhancement of sharpness and contrast thereby achieved are shortly explained. The key concept is the convolution kernel K(x,y), the mathematical equivalent of the smearing or blurring of a picture, and the computer-based elimination of this influence. Enhancements of sharpness and contrast were observed in all clinical portal images investigated. The images of fine bone structures were restored. The identification of organ boundaries and anatomical landmarks was improved, thereby permitting a more accurate comparison with the x-ray simulator radiographs. The visibility of prostate gold markers is also shown to be enhanced by deconvolution. The blurring effects of clinical portal images were eliminated by a numerical deconvolution algorithm that leads to better image sharpness and contrast. The fast algorithm permits the image blurring correction to be performed in real time, so that patient positioning verification with increased accuracy can be achieved in clinical practice. (orig.)

A naturally occurring contrast agent for OCT imaging of smokers' lung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Ying; Bagnaninchi, Pierre O; Whiteman, Suzanne C; Pittius, Daniel Gey van; Haj, Alicia J El; Spiteri, Monica A; Wang, Ruikang K

2005-01-01

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) offers great potential for clinical applications in terms of its cost, safety and real-time imaging capability. Improvement of its resolution for revealing sub-layers or sub-cellular components within a tissue will further widen its application. In this study we report that carbon pigment, which is frequently present in the lungs of smokers, could be used as a contrast agent to improve the OCT imaging of lung tissue. Carbon produced an intense bright OCT image at a relatively deep location. The parallel histopathological section analysis confirmed the presence of carbon pigment in such tissues. The underlying mechanism of the OCT image formation has been discussed based on a model system in which carbon particles were dispersed in agar gel. Calculations and in-depth intensity profiles of OCT revealed that higher refractive index particles with a size close to or smaller than the wavelength would greatly increase backscattering and generate a sharp contrast, while a particle size several times larger than the wavelength would absorb or obstruct the light path. The naturally occurring contrast agent could provide a diagnostic biomarker of lung tissue in smokers. Furthermore, carbon under such circumstances, can be used as an effective exogenous contrast agent, with which specific components or tissues exhibiting early tumour formation can be optically labelled to delineate the location and boundary, providing potential for early cancer detection and its treatment

Gd-DTPA as a paramagnetic contrast agent in MR imaging of focal liver lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamm, B.; Roemer, T.; Wolf, K.J.; Felix, R.; Weinmann, H.J.

1986-01-01

Gd-DTPA enhances signal intensity in healthy liver and in intrahepatic tumors. However, after contrast agent administration, tumor enhances significantly more than liver parenchyma (2α≤ 0.05). Doubling the dose of Gd-DTPA from 0.1 to 0.2 mmol/kg of body weight increases the enhancement of intrahepatic tumors (2α≤ 0.05) and optimizes the contrast between tumor and liver in T1-weighted spin-echo sequences. However, the contrast between tumor and liver on inversion-recovery and T2-weighted images obtained before contrast agent administration is much greater than the difference on T1-weighted images obtained after contrast agent administration (2α≤ 0.05). In fast images the contrast between liver and tumor can be markedly improved by administering Gd-DTPA

Images of paraffin monolayer crystals with perfect contrast: Minimization of beam-induced specimen motion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glaeser, R.M. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); McMullan, G.; Faruqi, A.R. [MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QH (United Kingdom); Henderson, R., E-mail: rh15@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk [MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QH (United Kingdom)

2011-01-15

Quantitative analysis of electron microscope images of organic and biological two-dimensional crystals has previously shown that the absolute contrast reached only a fraction of that expected theoretically from the electron diffraction amplitudes. The accepted explanation for this is that irradiation of the specimen causes beam-induced charging or movement, which in turn causes blurring of the image due to image or specimen movement. In this paper, we used three different approaches to try to overcome this image-blurring problem in monolayer crystals of paraffin. Our first approach was to use an extreme form of spotscan imaging, in which a single image was assembled on film by the successive illumination of up to 50,000 spots, each of a diameter of around 7 nm. The second approach was to use the Medipix II detector with its zero-noise readout to assemble a time-sliced series of images of the same area in which each frame from a movie with up to 400 frames had an exposure of only 500 electrons. In the third approach, we simply used a much thicker carbon support film to increase the physical strength and conductivity of the support. Surprisingly, the first two methods involving dose fractionation in space or time produced only partial improvements in contrast whereas the third approach produced many virtually perfect images, where the absolute contrast predicted from the electron diffraction amplitudes was observed in the images. We conclude that it is possible to obtain consistently almost perfect images of beam-sensitive specimens if they are attached to an appropriately strong and conductive support; however great care is needed in practice and the problem remains of how to best image ice-embedded biological structures in the absence of a strong, conductive support film. -- Research Highlights: {yields}Three ideas were tested to improve the contrast of images of an organic specimen. {yields}High-resolution images of paraffin on thick carbon films can have perfect

Images of paraffin monolayer crystals with perfect contrast: Minimization of beam-induced specimen motion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glaeser, R.M.; McMullan, G.; Faruqi, A.R.; Henderson, R.

2011-01-01

Quantitative analysis of electron microscope images of organic and biological two-dimensional crystals has previously shown that the absolute contrast reached only a fraction of that expected theoretically from the electron diffraction amplitudes. The accepted explanation for this is that irradiation of the specimen causes beam-induced charging or movement, which in turn causes blurring of the image due to image or specimen movement. In this paper, we used three different approaches to try to overcome this image-blurring problem in monolayer crystals of paraffin. Our first approach was to use an extreme form of spotscan imaging, in which a single image was assembled on film by the successive illumination of up to 50,000 spots, each of a diameter of around 7 nm. The second approach was to use the Medipix II detector with its zero-noise readout to assemble a time-sliced series of images of the same area in which each frame from a movie with up to 400 frames had an exposure of only 500 electrons. In the third approach, we simply used a much thicker carbon support film to increase the physical strength and conductivity of the support. Surprisingly, the first two methods involving dose fractionation in space or time produced only partial improvements in contrast whereas the third approach produced many virtually perfect images, where the absolute contrast predicted from the electron diffraction amplitudes was observed in the images. We conclude that it is possible to obtain consistently almost perfect images of beam-sensitive specimens if they are attached to an appropriately strong and conductive support; however great care is needed in practice and the problem remains of how to best image ice-embedded biological structures in the absence of a strong, conductive support film. -- Research Highlights: →Three ideas were tested to improve the contrast of images of an organic specimen. →High-resolution images of paraffin on thick carbon films can have perfect contrast

Improved wrist pannus volume measurement from contrast-enhanced MRI in rheumatoid arthritis using shuffle transform.

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Xanthopoulos, Emily; Hutchinson, Charles E; Adams, Judith E; Bruce, Ian N; Nash, Anthony F P; Holmes, Andrew P; Taylor, Christopher J; Waterton, John C

2007-01-01

Contrast-enhanced MRI is of value in assessing rheumatoid pannus in the hand, but the images are not always easy to quantitate. To develop and evaluate an improved measurement of volume of enhancing pannus (VEP) in the hand in human rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MR images of the hand and wrist were obtained for 14 patients with RA at 0, 1 and 13 weeks. Volume of enhancing pannus was measured on images created by subtracting precontrast T1-weighted images from contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images using a shuffle transformation technique. Maximum intensity projection (MIP) and 3D volume rendering of the images were used as a guide to identify the pannus and any contrast-enhanced veins. Visualisation of pannus was much improved following the shuffle transform. Between 0 weeks and 1 week, the mean value of the within-subject coefficient of variation (CoV) was 0.13 and the estimated total CoV was 0.15. There was no evidence of significant increased variability within the 13-week interval for the complete sample of patients. Volume of enhancing pannus can be measured reproducibly in the rheumatoid hand using 3D contrast-enhanced MRI and shuffle transform.

Tolerance of image enhancement brightness and contrast in lateral cephalometric digital radiography for Steiner analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Rianti, R. A.; Priaminiarti, M.; Syahraini, S. I.

2017-08-01

Image enhancement brightness and contrast can be adjusted on lateral cephalometric digital radiographs to improve image quality and anatomic landmarks for measurement by Steiner analysis. To determine the limit value for adjustments of image enhancement brightness and contrast in lateral cephalometric digital radiography for Steiner analysis. Image enhancement brightness and contrast were adjusted on 100 lateral cephalometric radiography in 10-point increments (-30, -20, -10, 0, +10, +20, +30). Steiner analysis measurements were then performed by two observers. Reliabilities were tested by the Interclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and significance tested by ANOVA or the Kruskal Wallis test. No significant differences were detected in lateral cephalometric analysis measurements following adjustment of the image enhancement brightness and contrast. The limit value of adjustments of the image enhancement brightness and contrast associated with incremental 10-point changes (-30, -20, -10, 0, +10, +20, +30) does not affect the results of Steiner analysis.

Enhanced renal image contrast by ethanol fixation in phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Shirai, Ryota; Kunii, Takuya; Yoneyama, Akio; Ooizumi, Takahito; Maruyama, Hiroko; Lwin, Thet Thet; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Takeda, Tohoru

2014-07-01

Phase-contrast X-ray imaging using a crystal X-ray interferometer can depict the fine structures of biological objects without the use of a contrast agent. To obtain higher image contrast, fixation techniques have been examined with 100% ethanol and the commonly used 10% formalin, since ethanol causes increased density differences against background due to its physical properties and greater dehydration of soft tissue. Histological comparison was also performed. A phase-contrast X-ray system was used, fitted with a two-crystal X-ray interferometer at 35 keV X-ray energy. Fine structures, including cortex, tubules in the medulla, and the vessels of ethanol-fixed kidney could be visualized more clearly than that of formalin-fixed tissues. In the optical microscopic images, shrinkage of soft tissue and decreased luminal space were observed in ethanol-fixed kidney; and this change was significantly shown in the cortex and outer stripe of the outer medulla. The ethanol fixation technique enhances image contrast by approximately 2.7-3.2 times in the cortex and the outer stripe of the outer medulla; the effect of shrinkage and the physical effect of ethanol cause an increment of approximately 78% and 22%, respectively. Thus, the ethanol-fixation technique enables the image contrast to be enhanced in phase-contrast X-ray imaging.

Optimization of contrast of MR images in imaging of knee joint

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szyblinski, K.; Bacic, G.

1994-01-01

The work describes the method of contrast optimization in magnetic resonance imaging. Computer program presented in the report allows analysis of contrast in selected tissues as a function of experiment parameters. Application to imaging of knee joint is presented

Techniques for improving material fidelity and contrast consistency in secondary electron mode helium ion microscope (HIM) imaging

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Thompson, William; Stern, Lewis; Ferranti, Dave; Huynh, Chuong; Scipioni, Larry; Notte, John; Sanford, Colin

2010-06-01

Recent helium ion microscope (HIM) imaging studies have shown the strong sensitivity of HIM induced secondary electron (SE) yields [1] to the sample physical and chemical properties and to its surface topography. This SE yield sensitivity is due to the low recoil energy of the HIM initiated electrons and their resulting short mean free path. Additionally, a material's SE escape probability is modulated by changes in the material's work function and surface potential. Due to the escape electrons' roughly 2eV mean energy and their nanometer range mean free path, HIM SE mode image contrast has significant material and surface sensitivity. The latest generation of HIM has a 0.35 nanometer resolution specification and is equipped with a plasma cleaning process to mitigate the effects of hydrocarbon contamination. However, for surfaces that may have native oxide chemistries influencing the secondary electron yield, a new process of low energy, shallow angle argon sputtering, was evaluated. The intent of this work was to study the effect of removing pre-existing native oxides and any in-situ deposited surface contaminants. We will introduce the sputter yield predictions of two established computer models and the sputter yield and sample modification forecasts of the molecular dynamics program, Kalypso. We will review the experimental technique applied to copper samples and show the copper grain contrast improvement that resulted when argon cleaned samples were imaged in HIM SE mode.

Do shorter wavelengths improve contrast in optical mammography?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taroni, P; Pifferi, A; Torricelli, A; Spinelli, L; Danesini, G M; Cubeddu, R

2004-01-01

The detection of tumours with time-resolved transmittance imaging relies essentially on blood absorption. Previous theoretical and phantom studies have shown that both contrast and spatial resolution of optical images are affected by the optical properties of the background medium, and high absorption and scattering are generally beneficial. Based on these observations, wavelengths shorter than presently used (680-780 nm) could be profitable for optical mammography. A study was thus performed analysing time-resolved transmittance images at 637, 656, 683 and 785 nm obtained from 26 patients bearing 16 tumours and 15 cysts. The optical contrast proved to increase upon decreasing wavelengths for the detection of cancers in late-gated intensity images, with higher gain in contrast for lesions of smaller size (<1.5 cm diameter). For cysts either a progressive increase or decrease in contrast with wavelength was observed in scattering images

Contrast enhancement of microsphere-assisted super-resolution imaging in dark-field microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yi; Tang, Yan; Deng, Qinyuan; Zhao, Lixin; Hu, Song

2017-08-01

We report a method of boosting the imaging contrast of microsphere-assisted super-resolution visualization by utilizing dark-field illumination (DFI). We conducted experiments on both 10-µm-diameter silica (SiO2) microspheres with refractive index n ∼ 1.46 under no and partial immersion in ethyl alcohol (n ∼ 1.36) and 20-µm-diameter barium titanate glass (BTG, n ∼ 1.9) microspheres with full immersion to show the super-resolution capability. We experimentally demonstrated that the imaging contrast and uniformity were extraordinarily improved in the DFI mode. The intensity profiles in the visualization also numerically confirm the enhanced sharpness for a better imaging quality when applying DFI.

A Novel Contrast Enhancement Technique on Palm Bone Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yung-Tsang Chang

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Contrast enhancement plays a fundamental role in image processing. Many histogram-based techniques are widely used for contrast enhancement of given images, due to their simple function and effectiveness. However, the conventional histogram equalization (HE methods result in excessive contrast enhancement, which causes natural looking and satisfactory results for a variety of low contrast images. To solve such problems, a novel multi-histogram equalization technique is proposed to enhance the contrast of the palm bone X-ray radiographs in this paper. For images, the mean-variance analysis method is employed to partition the histogram of the original grey scale image into multiple sub-histograms. These histograms are independently equalized. By using this mean-variance partition method, a proposed multi-histogram equalization technique is employed to achieve the contrast enhancement of the palm bone X-ray radiographs. Experimental results show that the multi-histogram equalization technique achieves a lower average absolute mean brightness error (AMBE value. The multi-histogram equalization technique simultaneously preserved the mean brightness and enhanced the local contrast of the original image.

Contrast Media for X-ray and Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Development, Current Status and Future Perspectives.

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Frenzel, Thomas; Lawaczeck, Rüdiger; Taupitz, Matthias; Jost, Gregor; Lohrke, Jessica; Sieber, Martin A; Pietsch, Hubertus

2015-09-01

Over the last 120 years, the extensive advances in medical imaging allowed enhanced diagnosis and therapy of many diseases and thereby improved the quality of life of many patient generations. From the beginning, all technical solutions and imaging procedures were combined with dedicated pharmaceutical developments of contrast media, to further enhance the visualization of morphology and physiology. This symbiosis of imaging hardware and contrast media development was of high importance for the development of modern clinical radiology. Today, all available clinically approved contrast media fulfill the highest requirements for clinical safety and efficacy. All new concepts to increase the efficacy of contrast media have also to consider the high clinical safety standards and cost of goods of current marketed contrast media. Nevertheless, diagnostic imaging will contribute significantly to the progresses in medicine, and new contrast media developments are mandatory to address the medical needs of the future.

Quantitative phase imaging and differential interference contrast imaging for biological TEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allman, B.E.; McMahon, P.J.; Barone-Nugent, E.D.; Nugent, E.D.

2002-01-01

Full text: Phase microscopy is a central technique in science. An experienced microscopist uses this effect to visualise (edge) structure within transparent samples by slightly defocusing the microscope. Although widespread in optical microscopy, phase contrast transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has not been widely adopted. TEM for biological specimens has largely relied on staining techniques to yield sufficient contrast. We show here a simple method for quantitative TEM phase microscopy that quantifies this phase contrast effect. Starting with conventional, digital, bright field images of the sample, our algorithm provides quantitative phase information independent of the sample's bright field intensity image. We present TEM phase images of a range of stained and unstained, biological and material science specimens. This independent phase and intensity information is then used to emulate a range of phase visualisation images familiar to optical microscopy, e.g. differential interference contrast. The phase images contain features not visible with the other imaging modalities. Further, if the TEM samples have been prepared on a microtome to a uniform thickness, the phase information can be converted into refractive index structure of the specimen. Copyright (2002) Australian Society for Electron Microscopy Inc

Contrast enhanced ultrasound in liver imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, Michael Bachmann; Bang, Nanna

2004-01-01

Ultrasound contrast agents were originally introduced to enhance the Doppler signals when detecting vessels with low velocity flow or when imaging conditions were sub-optimal. Contrast agents showed additional properties, it was discovered that a parenchymal enhancement phase in the liver followed the enhancement of the blood pool. Contrast agents have made ultrasound scanning more accurate in detection and characterization of focal hepatic lesions and the sensitivity is now comparable with CT and MRI scanning. Further, analysis of the transit time of contrast agent through the liver seems to give information on possible hepatic involvement, not only from focal lesions but also from diffuse benign parenchymal disease. The first ultrasound contrast agents were easily destroyed by the energy from the sound waves but newer agents have proved to last for longer time and hereby enable real-time scanning and make contrast enhancement suitable for interventional procedures such as biopsies and tissue ablation. Also, in monitoring the effect of tumour treatment contrast agents have been useful. A brief overview is given on some possible applications and on different techniques using ultrasound contrast agents in liver imaging. At present, the use of an ultrasound contrast agent that allows real-time scanning with low mechanical index is to be preferred

Image fusion for dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leach Martin O

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Multivariate imaging techniques such as dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI have been shown to provide valuable information for medical diagnosis. Even though these techniques provide new information, integrating and evaluating the much wider range of information is a challenging task for the human observer. This task may be assisted with the use of image fusion algorithms. Methods In this paper, image fusion based on Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA is proposed for the first time. It is demonstrated that a priori knowledge about the data domain can be easily incorporated into the parametrisation of the KPCA, leading to task-oriented visualisations of the multivariate data. The results of the fusion process are compared with those of the well-known and established standard linear Principal Component Analysis (PCA by means of temporal sequences of 3D MRI volumes from six patients who took part in a breast cancer screening study. Results The PCA and KPCA algorithms are able to integrate information from a sequence of MRI volumes into informative gray value or colour images. By incorporating a priori knowledge, the fusion process can be automated and optimised in order to visualise suspicious lesions with high contrast to normal tissue. Conclusion Our machine learning based image fusion approach maps the full signal space of a temporal DCE-MRI sequence to a single meaningful visualisation with good tissue/lesion contrast and thus supports the radiologist during manual image evaluation.

In-line phase-contrast stereoscopic X-ray imaging for radiological purposes: An initial experimental study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegbahn, E.A.; Coan, P.; Zhou, S.-A.; Bravin, A.; Brahme, A.

2011-01-01

We report results from a pilot study in which the in-line propagation-based phase-contrast imaging technique is combined with the stereoscopic method. Two phantoms were imaged at several sample-detector distances using monochromatic, 30 keV, X-rays. High contrast- and spatial-resolution phase-contrast stereoscopic pairs of X-ray images were constructed using the anaglyph approach and a vivid stereoscopic effect was demonstrated. On the other hand, images of the same phantoms obtained with a shorter sample-to-detector distance, but otherwise the same experimental conditions (i.e. the same X-ray energy and absorbed radiation dose), corresponding to the conventional attenuation-based imaging mode, hardly revealed stereoscopic effects because of the lower image contrast produced. These results have confirmed our hypothesis that stereoscopic X-ray images of samples with objects composed of low-atomic-number elements are considerably improved if phase-contrast imaging is used. It is our belief that the high-resolution phase-contrast stereoscopic method will be a valuable new medical imaging tool for radiologists and that it will be of help to enhance the diagnostic capability in the examination of patients in future clinical practice, even though further efforts will be needed to optimize the system performance.

Differential evolution optimization combined with chaotic sequences for image contrast enhancement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos Coelho, Leandro dos [Industrial and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, LAS/PPGEPS, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, PUCPR Imaculada Conceicao, 1155, 80215-901 Curitiba, Parana (Brazil)], E-mail: leandro.coelho@pucpr.br; Sauer, Joao Guilherme [Industrial and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, LAS/PPGEPS, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, PUCPR Imaculada Conceicao, 1155, 80215-901 Curitiba, Parana (Brazil)], E-mail: joao.sauer@gmail.com; Rudek, Marcelo [Industrial and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, LAS/PPGEPS, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, PUCPR Imaculada Conceicao, 1155, 80215-901 Curitiba, Parana (Brazil)], E-mail: marcelo.rudek@pucpr.br

2009-10-15

Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) are stochastic and robust meta-heuristics of evolutionary computation field useful to solve optimization problems in image processing applications. Recently, as special mechanism to avoid being trapped in local minimum, the ergodicity property of chaotic sequences has been used in various designs of EAs. Three differential evolution approaches based on chaotic sequences using logistic equation for image enhancement process are proposed in this paper. Differential evolution is a simple yet powerful evolutionary optimization algorithm that has been successfully used in solving continuous problems. The proposed chaotic differential evolution schemes have fast convergence rate but also maintain the diversity of the population so as to escape from local optima. In this paper, the image contrast enhancement is approached as a constrained nonlinear optimization problem. The objective of the proposed chaotic differential evolution schemes is to maximize the fitness criterion in order to enhance the contrast and detail in the image by adapting the parameters using a contrast enhancement technique. The proposed chaotic differential evolution schemes are compared with classical differential evolution to two testing images. Simulation results on three images show that the application of chaotic sequences instead of random sequences is a possible strategy to improve the performance of classical differential evolution optimization algorithm.

Graphical user interface to optimize image contrast parameters used in object segmentation - biomed 2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Jeffrey R; Barrett, Steven F

2009-01-01

Image segmentation is the process of isolating distinct objects within an image. Computer algorithms have been developed to aid in the process of object segmentation, but a completely autonomous segmentation algorithm has yet to be developed [1]. This is because computers do not have the capability to understand images and recognize complex objects within the image. However, computer segmentation methods [2], requiring user input, have been developed to quickly segment objects in serial sectioned images, such as magnetic resonance images (MRI) and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) images. In these cases, the segmentation process becomes a powerful tool in visualizing the 3D nature of an object. The user input is an important part of improving the performance of many segmentation methods. A double threshold segmentation method has been investigated [3] to separate objects in gray scaled images, where the gray level of the object is among the gray levels of the background. In order to best determine the threshold values for this segmentation method the image must be manipulated for optimal contrast. The same is true of other segmentation and edge detection methods as well. Typically, the better the image contrast, the better the segmentation results. This paper describes a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows the user to easily change image contrast parameters that will optimize the performance of subsequent object segmentation. This approach makes use of the fact that the human brain is extremely effective in object recognition and understanding. The GUI provides the user with the ability to define the gray scale range of the object of interest. These lower and upper bounds of this range are used in a histogram stretching process to improve image contrast. Also, the user can interactively modify the gamma correction factor that provides a non-linear distribution of gray scale values, while observing the corresponding changes to the image. This

Polarization-dependent imaging contrast in abalone shells

Science.gov (United States)

Metzler, Rebecca A.; Zhou, Dong; Abrecht, Mike; Chiou, Jau-Wern; Guo, Jinghua; Ariosa, Daniel; Coppersmith, Susan N.; Gilbert, P. U. P. A.

2008-02-01

Many biominerals contain micro- or nanocrystalline mineral components, organized accurately into architectures that confer the material with improved mechanical performance at the macroscopic scale. We present here an effect which enables us to observe the relative orientation of individual crystals at the submicron scale. We call it polarization-dependent imaging contrast (PIC), as it is an imaging development of the well-known x-ray linear dichroism. Most importantly, PIC is obtained in situ, in biominerals. We present here PIC in the prismatic and nacreous layers of Haliotis rufescens (red abalone), confirm it in geologic calcite and aragonite, and corroborate the experimental data with theoretical simulated spectra. PIC reveals different and unexpected aspects of nacre architecture that have inspired theoretical models for nacre formation.

Magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents: Overview and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Guoping; Robinson, Leslie; Hogg, Peter

2007-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive clinical imaging modality, which has become widely used in the diagnosis and/or staging of human diseases around the world. Some MRI examinations include the use of contrast agents. The categorizations of currently available contrast agents have been described according to their effect on the image, magnetic behavior and biodistribution in the body, respectively. In this field, superparamagnetic iron oxide particles and soluble paramagnetic metal chelates are two main classes of contrast agents for MRI. This review outlines the research and development of MRI contrast agents. In future, the ideal MRI contrast agent will be focused on the neutral tissue- or organ-targeting materials with high relaxivity and specificity, low toxicity and side effects, suitable long intravascular duration and excretion time, high contrast enhancement with low dose in vivo, and with minimal cost

Nanoparticles in magnetic resonance imaging: from simple to dual contrast agents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Estelrich J

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Joan Estelrich,1,2 María Jesús Sánchez-Martín,1 Maria Antònia Busquets1,2 1Departament de Fisicoquímica, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; 2Institut de Nanociència I Nanotecnologia (IN2UB, Barcelona, Catalonia, SpainAbstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI has become one of the most widely used and powerful tools for noninvasive clinical diagnosis owing to its high degree of soft tissue contrast, spatial resolution, and depth of penetration. MRI signal intensity is related to the relaxation times (T1, spin–lattice relaxation and T2, spin–spin relaxation of in vivo water protons. To increase contrast, various inorganic nanoparticles and complexes (the so-called contrast agents are administered prior to the scanning. Shortening T1 and T2 increases the corresponding relaxation rates, 1/T1 and 1/T2, producing hyperintense and hypointense signals respectively in shorter times. Moreover, the signal-to-noise ratio can be improved with the acquisition of a large number of measurements. The contrast agents used are generally based on either iron oxide nanoparticles or ferrites, providing negative contrast in T2-weighted images; or complexes of lanthanide metals (mostly containing gadolinium ions, providing positive contrast in T1-weighted images. Recently, lanthanide complexes have been immobilized in nanostructured materials in order to develop a new class of contrast agents with functions including blood-pool and organ (or tumor targeting. Meanwhile, to overcome the limitations of individual imaging modalities, multimodal imaging techniques have been developed. An important challenge is to design all-in-one contrast agents that can be detected by multimodal techniques. Magnetoliposomes are efficient multimodal contrast agents. They can simultaneously bear both kinds of contrast and can, furthermore, incorporate targeting ligands and chains of polyethylene glycol to enhance the accumulation of

Factors influencing fast low angle positive contrast steady-state free precession (FLAPS) magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dharmakumar, Rohan; Koktzoglou, Ioannis; Li Debiao

2007-01-01

The presence of susceptibility-shifting media can lead to signal voids in magnetic resonance images. While signal voids have been traditionally used to detect such magnetic perturbers, selective magnetic resonance imaging of off-resonant spins surrounding susceptibility-shifted media allows for them to be visualized as hyper-intense (positive contrast) regions. These positive contrast methods can potentially improve the detection conspicuity of magnetic perturbers against regions that appear dark due to the absence of protons, such as air. Recently, a fast low angle positive contrast steady-state free precession (FLAPS) technique has been proposed as a positive contrast imaging method. This work systematically evaluates the contrast characteristics and acquisition strategies of FLAPS-based imaging from the standpoint of imaging parameters and physical properties of the magnetic perturbers. Results show that scan parameters (T R , flip angle, B 0 ), physical properties of the perturber (size and concentration of shift reagent) and the ratio of the relaxation constants (T 1 /T 2 ) of the medium are significant factors influencing the FLAPS-based positive contrast

Contrast-enhanced CISS imaging of cerebellopontine angle tumors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tozaki, Mitsuhiro; Toyoda, Keiko; Hata, Yuichi; Fukuda, Yasushi; Fukuda, Kunihiko [Jikei Univ., Tokyo (Japan). School of Medicine; Katano, Shuichi

1999-10-01

Our purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of contrast-enhanced CISS-3DFT MR imaging for the diagnosis of CP angle tumors. CISS-3DFT MR imaging is expected for screening procedure of acoustic schwannoma because of excellent spatial resolution. Recently, we discovered contrast enhancement effect on CISS sequence in spite of heavily T{sub 2}-weighted images. Fourteen patients with CP angle tumors were performed on a 1.0 T MR unit. Transaxial CISS-3DFT MRI was obtained both before and after intravenous injections of Gd-DTPA. Multiplanar reconstructions (MPRs) were performed in all cases. Contrast enhancement effect of CP angle tumors, and the relationship between tumors and the adjacent cranial nerves were evaluated. Contrast enhancement effect of the tumors was present in all cases in spite of heavily T{sub 2}-weighted images of CISS sequences. In the internal auditory canal, relationship between the tumors and the cranial nerves was demonstrated in 6 cases (6/9). In the cerebellopontine cistern, all cases were demonstrated (11/11). Contrast-enhanced CISS-3DFT MR imaging with a good contrast resolution and an excellent spatial resolution is useful for the diagnosis of CP angle tumors. (author)

Applications of phase-contrast x-ray imaging to medicine using an x-ray interferometer

Science.gov (United States)

Momose, Atsushi; Yoneyama, Akio; Takeda, Tohoru; Itai, Yuji; Tu, Jinhong; Hirano, Keiichi

1999-10-01

We are investigating possible medical applications of phase- contrast X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer. This paper introduces the strategy of the research project and the present status. The main subject is to broaden the observation area to enable in vivo observation. For this purpose, large X-ray interferometers were developed, and 2.5 cm X 1.5 cm interference patterns were generated using synchrotron X-rays. An improvement of the spatial resolution is also included in the project, and an X-ray interferometer designed for high-resolution phase-contrast X-ray imaging was fabricated and tested. In parallel with the instrumental developments, various soft tissues are observed by phase- contrast X-ray CT to find correspondence between the generated contrast and our histological knowledge. The observation done so far suggests that cancerous tissues are differentiated from normal tissues and that blood can produce phase contrast. Furthermore, this project includes exploring materials that modulate phase contrast for selective imaging.

Detection of low-contrast images in film-grain noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Naderi, F; Sawchuk, A A

1978-09-15

When low contrast photographic images are digitized by a very small aperture, extreme film-grain noise almost completely obliterates the image information. Using a large aperture to average out the noise destroys the fine details of the image. In these situations conventional statistical restoration techniques have little effect, and well chosen heuristic algorithms have yielded better results. In this paper we analyze the noisecheating algorithm of Zweig et al. [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 65, 1347 (1975)] and show that it can be justified by classical maximum-likelihood detection theory. A more general algorithm applicable to a broader class of images is then developed by considering the signal-dependent nature of film-grain noise. Finally, a Bayesian detection algorithm with improved performance is presented.

Phase-contrast X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer for biological imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Momose, Atsushi; Koyama, Ichiro [Tokyo Univ., Dept. of Applied Physics, Tokyo (Japan); Takeda, Tohoru; Itai, Yuji [Tsukuba Univ., Inst. of Clinical Medicine, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Yoneyama, Akio [Hitachi Ltd., Advanced Research Laboratory, Saitama (Japan)

2002-04-01

The potential of phase-contrast X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer is discussed comparing with other phase-contrast X-ray imaging methods, and its principle of contrast generation is presented including the case of phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography. The status of current instrumentation is described and perspectives for practical applications are discussed. (author)

Contrast-enhanced flair imaging in the evaluation of infectious leptomeningeal diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parmar, Hemant; Sitoh, Y.-Y.; Anand, Pooja; Chua, Violet; Hui, Francis

2006-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to compare contrast-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images with contrast-enhanced T1 weighted images for infectious leptomeningitis. Materials and methods: We studied twenty-four patients with a clinical suspicion of infectious meningitis with unenhanced FLAIR, contrast-enhanced T1 weighted and contrast-enhanced FLAIR MR sequences. Twelve patients had cytologic and biochemical diagnosis of meningitis on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination obtained 48 h before or after the MR study. Sequences were considered positive if abnormal signal was seen in the subarachnoid space (cistern or sulci) or along pial surface. Results: Twenty-seven examinations in 24 patients were performed. Of the 12 patients (thirteen studies) in whom cytology was positive, unenhanced FLAIR images were positive in six cases (sensitivity 46%), contrast-enhanced FLAIR images were positive in 11 (sensitivity 85%), and contrast-enhanced T1 weighted MR images were positive in 11 patients (sensitivity 85%). Of the 12 patients (14 studies) in whom cerebrospinal fluid study was negative, unenhanced FLAIR images were negative in 13, contrast-enhanced FLAIR images were negative in 11, and contrast-enhanced T1 weighted MR images were negative in eight. Thus, the specificity of unenhanced FLAIR, contrast-enhanced FLAIR and contrast-enhanced T1 weighted images was 93, 79 and 57%, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that post-contrast FLAIR images have similar sensitivity but a higher specificity compared to contrast-enhanced T1 weighted images for detection of leptomeningeal enhancement. It can be a useful adjunct to post-contrast T1 weighted images in evaluation of infectious leptomeningitis

Contrast-enhanced flair imaging in the evaluation of infectious leptomeningeal diseases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parmar, Hemant [Department of Neuroradiology, National Neuroscience Institute, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433 (Singapore) and Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto (Canada)]. E-mail: parurad@hotmail.com; Sitoh, Y.-Y. [Department of Neuroradiology, National Neuroscience Institute, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433 (Singapore); Anand, Pooja [Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng (Singapore); Chua, Violet [Department of Neuroradiology, National Neuroscience Institute, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433 (Singapore); Hui, Francis [Department of Neuroradiology, National Neuroscience Institute, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433 (Singapore)

2006-04-15

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to compare contrast-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images with contrast-enhanced T1 weighted images for infectious leptomeningitis. Materials and methods: We studied twenty-four patients with a clinical suspicion of infectious meningitis with unenhanced FLAIR, contrast-enhanced T1 weighted and contrast-enhanced FLAIR MR sequences. Twelve patients had cytologic and biochemical diagnosis of meningitis on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination obtained 48 h before or after the MR study. Sequences were considered positive if abnormal signal was seen in the subarachnoid space (cistern or sulci) or along pial surface. Results: Twenty-seven examinations in 24 patients were performed. Of the 12 patients (thirteen studies) in whom cytology was positive, unenhanced FLAIR images were positive in six cases (sensitivity 46%), contrast-enhanced FLAIR images were positive in 11 (sensitivity 85%), and contrast-enhanced T1 weighted MR images were positive in 11 patients (sensitivity 85%). Of the 12 patients (14 studies) in whom cerebrospinal fluid study was negative, unenhanced FLAIR images were negative in 13, contrast-enhanced FLAIR images were negative in 11, and contrast-enhanced T1 weighted MR images were negative in eight. Thus, the specificity of unenhanced FLAIR, contrast-enhanced FLAIR and contrast-enhanced T1 weighted images was 93, 79 and 57%, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that post-contrast FLAIR images have similar sensitivity but a higher specificity compared to contrast-enhanced T1 weighted images for detection of leptomeningeal enhancement. It can be a useful adjunct to post-contrast T1 weighted images in evaluation of infectious leptomeningitis.

Investigation of biomedical inner microstructures with hard X-ray phase-contrast imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shu Hang [Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS, 100049 Beijing (China); Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100864 Beijing (China); Zhu Peiping [Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS, 100049 Beijing (China); Chen Bo [Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China); Liu Bo; Yin Hongxia [Capital University of Medical Sciences, 100054 Beijing (China); Li Enrong [Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS, 100049 Beijing (China); Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100864 Beijing (China); Liu Yijin [Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China); Wang Junyue [Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS, 100049 Beijing (China); Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100864 Beijing (China); Yuan Qingxi; Huang Wanxia; Fang Shouxian [Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS, 100049 Beijing (China); Wu Ziyu [Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS, 100049 Beijing (China); National Center for NanoScience and Technology, 100080 Beijing (China)], E-mail: wuzy@ihep.ac.cn

2007-09-21

Hard X-ray Phase-Contrast Imaging (HX-PCI) is a new and valuable method that may provide information of the inner parts of an opaque object. Previous reports demonstrated its applicability in soft and hard tissue imaging. Here we provide further evidence for improved image quality and the effective capability to distinguish inner microstructures in real biomedical systems such as cochlea. Experiments performed both at the 4W1A beamline of the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF) and at the Taiwan National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) clearly show details of samples' inner microstructure with a resolution of a few microns. The improved spatial resolution is a relevant achievement for future improved understanding and clinical trials.

Chain of evidence generation for contrast enhancement in digital image forensics

Science.gov (United States)

Battiato, Sebastiano; Messina, Giuseppe; Strano, Daniela

2010-01-01

The quality of the images obtained by digital cameras has improved a lot since digital cameras early days. Unfortunately, it is not unusual in image forensics to find wrongly exposed pictures. This is mainly due to obsolete techniques or old technologies, but also due to backlight conditions. To extrapolate some invisible details a stretching of the image contrast is obviously required. The forensics rules to produce evidences require a complete documentation of the processing steps, enabling the replication of the entire process. The automation of enhancement techniques is thus quite difficult and needs to be carefully documented. This work presents an automatic procedure to find contrast enhancement settings, allowing both image correction and automatic scripting generation. The technique is based on a preprocessing step which extracts the features of the image and selects correction parameters. The parameters are thus saved through a JavaScript code that is used in the second step of the approach to correct the image. The generated script is Adobe Photoshop compliant (which is largely used in image forensics analysis) thus permitting the replication of the enhancement steps. Experiments on a dataset of images are also reported showing the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.

Improvement of contrast and quantification of images of local cerebral blood flow got by mono photonic emission tomography. Amelioration de contraste et quantification des images des debits sanguins cerebraux regionaux obtenues en tomographie d'emission monophotonique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kayayan, R.

1993-07-01

Here is a presentation of a thesis; the aim of the work was to improve the images got by tomography of type gamma cameras. A comparative evaluation was made between [sup 133] Xe then 99mTc-HMPAO (Hexamethyl Propylene Amino Oxine); ten patients underwent the two examinations and the correlations between the measures were studied; the correlation is significant; then programs were built to improve the spatial resolution and the contrast of 99mTc-HMPAO cuts, obtained with the double head gamma cameras system. The resolution is improved but the treatment needing a long time, the use of this method is only possible with systems including a vectorial processor.

Adaptive radiotherapy based on contrast enhanced cone beam CT imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soevik, Aaste; Skogmo, Hege K.; Roedal, Jan; Lervaag, Christoffer; Eilertsen, Karsten; Malinen, Eirik

2010-01-01

Cone beam CT (CBCT) imaging has become an integral part of radiation therapy, with images typically used for offline or online patient setup corrections based on bony anatomy co-registration. Ideally, the co-registration should be based on tumor localization. However, soft tissue contrast in CBCT images may be limited. In the present work, contrast enhanced CBCT (CECBCT) images were used for tumor visualization and treatment adaptation. Material and methods. A spontaneous canine maxillary tumor was subjected to repeated cone beam CT imaging during fractionated radiotherapy (10 fractions in total). At five of the treatment fractions, CECBCT images, employing an iodinated contrast agent, were acquired, as well as pre-contrast CBCT images. The tumor was clearly visible in post-contrast minus pre-contrast subtraction images, and these contrast images were used to delineate gross tumor volumes. IMRT dose plans were subsequently generated. Four different strategies were explored: 1) fully adapted planning based on each CECBCT image series, 2) planning based on images acquired at the first treatment fraction and patient repositioning following bony anatomy co-registration, 3) as for 2), but with patient repositioning based on co-registering contrast images, and 4) a strategy with no patient repositioning or treatment adaptation. The equivalent uniform dose (EUD) and tumor control probability (TCP) calculations to estimate treatment outcome for each strategy. Results. Similar translation vectors were found when bony anatomy and contrast enhancement co-registration were compared. Strategy 1 gave EUDs closest to the prescription dose and the highest TCP. Strategies 2 and 3 gave EUDs and TCPs close to that of strategy 1, with strategy 3 being slightly better than strategy 2. Even greater benefits from strategies 1 and 3 are expected with increasing tumor movement or deformation during treatment. The non-adaptive strategy 4 was clearly inferior to all three adaptive strategies

Comparison of fundamental and wideband harmonic contrast imaging of liver tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsberg, F; Liu, J B; Chiou, H J; Rawool, N M; Parker, L; Goldberg, B B

2000-03-01

Wideband harmonic imaging (with phase inversion for improved tissue suppression) was compared to fundamental imaging in vivo. Four woodchucks with naturally occurring liver tumors were injected with Imagent (Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., San Diego, CA). Randomized combinations of dose (0.05, 0.2 and 0.4 ml/kg) and acoustic output power (AO; 5, 25 and 63% or MI Siemens Medical Systems, Issaquah, WA). Tumor vascularity, conspicuity and contrast enhancement were rated by three independent observers. Imagent produced marked tumor enhancement and improved depiction of neovascularity at all dosages and AO settings in both modes. Tumor vascularity and enhancement correlated with mode, dose and AO (P < 0.002). Fundamental imaging produced more enhancement (P < 0.05), but tumor vascularity and conspicuity were best appreciated in harmonic mode (P < 0.05). Under the conditions studied here, the best approach was wideband harmonic imaging with 0.2 ml/kg of Imagent at an AO of 25%.

Phase contrast image segmentation using a Laue analyser crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitchen, Marcus J; Paganin, David M; Lewis, Robert A; Pavlov, Konstantin M; Uesugi, Kentaro; Allison, Beth J; Hooper, Stuart B

2011-01-01

Dual-energy x-ray imaging is a powerful tool enabling two-component samples to be separated into their constituent objects from two-dimensional images. Phase contrast x-ray imaging can render the boundaries between media of differing refractive indices visible, despite them having similar attenuation properties; this is important for imaging biological soft tissues. We have used a Laue analyser crystal and a monochromatic x-ray source to combine the benefits of both techniques. The Laue analyser creates two distinct phase contrast images that can be simultaneously acquired on a high-resolution detector. These images can be combined to separate the effects of x-ray phase, absorption and scattering and, using the known complex refractive indices of the sample, to quantitatively segment its component materials. We have successfully validated this phase contrast image segmentation (PCIS) using a two-component phantom, containing an iodinated contrast agent, and have also separated the lungs and ribcage in images of a mouse thorax. Simultaneous image acquisition has enabled us to perform functional segmentation of the mouse thorax throughout the respiratory cycle during mechanical ventilation.

CT Image Contrast of High-Z Elements: Phantom Imaging Studies and Clinical Implications.

Science.gov (United States)

FitzGerald, Paul F; Colborn, Robert E; Edic, Peter M; Lambert, Jack W; Torres, Andrew S; Bonitatibus, Peter J; Yeh, Benjamin M

2016-03-01

To quantify the computed tomographic (CT) image contrast produced by potentially useful contrast material elements in clinically relevant imaging conditions. Equal mass concentrations (grams of active element per milliliter of solution) of seven radiodense elements, including iodine, barium, gadolinium, tantalum, ytterbium, gold, and bismuth, were formulated as compounds in aqueous solutions. The compounds were chosen such that the active element dominated the x-ray attenuation of the solution. The solutions were imaged within a modified 32-cm CT dose index phantom at 80, 100, 120, and 140 kVp at CT. To simulate larger body sizes, 0.2-, 0.5-, and 1.0-mm-thick copper filters were applied. CT image contrast was measured and corrected for measured concentrations and presence of chlorine in some compounds. Each element tested provided higher image contrast than iodine at some tube potential levels. Over the range of tube potentials that are clinically practical for average-sized and larger adults-that is, 100 kVp and higher-barium, gadolinium, ytterbium, and tantalum provided consistently increased image contrast compared with iodine, respectively demonstrating 39%, 56%, 34%, and 24% increases at 100 kVp; 39%, 66%, 53%, and 46% increases at 120 kVp; and 40%, 72%, 65%, and 60% increases at 140 kVp, with no added x-ray filter. The consistently high image contrast produced with 100-140 kVp by tantalum compared with bismuth and iodine at equal mass concentration suggests that tantalum could potentially be favorable for use as a clinical CT contrast agent.

Stochastic parallel gradient descent based adaptive optics used for a high contrast imaging coronagraph

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Bing; Ren Deqing; Zhang Xi

2011-01-01

An adaptive optics (AO) system based on a stochastic parallel gradient descent (SPGD) algorithm is proposed to reduce the speckle noises in the optical system of a stellar coronagraph in order to further improve the contrast. The principle of the SPGD algorithm is described briefly and a metric suitable for point source imaging optimization is given. The feasibility and good performance of the SPGD algorithm is demonstrated by an experimental system featured with a 140-actuator deformable mirror and a Hartmann-Shark wavefront sensor. Then the SPGD based AO is applied to a liquid crystal array (LCA) based coronagraph to improve the contrast. The LCA can modulate the incoming light to generate a pupil apodization mask of any pattern. A circular stepped pattern is used in our preliminary experiment and the image contrast shows improvement from 10 -3 to 10 -4.5 at an angular distance of 2λ/D after being corrected by SPGD based AO.

Visual detectability of elastic contrast in real-time ultrasound images

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Naomi R.; Bamber, Jeffery C.; Doyley, Marvin M.; Leach, Martin O.

1997-04-01

Elasticity imaging (EI) has recently been proposed as a technique for imaging the mechanical properties of soft tissue. However, dynamic features, known as compressibility and mobility, are already employed to distinguish between different tissue types in ultrasound breast examination. This method, which involves the subjective interpretation of tissue motion seen in real-time B-mode images during palpation, is hereafter referred to as differential motion imaging (DMI). The purpose of this study was to develop the methodology required to perform a series of perception experiments to measure elastic lesion detectability by means of DMI and to obtain preliminary results for elastic contrast thresholds for different lesion sizes. Simulated sequences of real-time B-scans of tissue moving in response to an applied force were generated. A two-alternative forced choice (2-AFC) experiment was conducted and the measured contrast thresholds were compared with published results for lesions detected by EI. Although the trained observer was found to be quite skilled at the task of differential motion perception, it would appear that lesion detectability is improved when motion information is detected by computer processing and converted to gray scale before presentation to the observer. In particular, for lesions containing fewer than eight speckle cells, a signal detection rate of 100% could not be achieved even when the elastic contrast was very high.

Focal switching of photochromic fluorescent proteins enables multiphoton microscopy with superior image contrast.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Ya-Ting; Zhu, Xinxin; Xu, Fang; Min, Wei

2012-08-01

Probing biological structures and functions deep inside live organisms with light is highly desirable. Among the current optical imaging modalities, multiphoton fluorescence microscopy exhibits the best contrast for imaging scattering samples by employing a spatially confined nonlinear excitation. However, as the incident laser power drops exponentially with imaging depth into the sample due to the scattering loss, the out-of-focus background eventually overwhelms the in-focus signal, which defines a fundamental imaging-depth limit. Herein we significantly improve the image contrast for deep scattering samples by harnessing reversibly switchable fluorescent proteins (RSFPs) which can be cycled between bright and dark states upon light illumination. Two distinct techniques, multiphoton deactivation and imaging (MPDI) and multiphoton activation and imaging (MPAI), are demonstrated on tissue phantoms labeled with Dronpa protein. Such a focal switch approach can generate pseudo background-free images. Conceptually different from wave-based approaches that try to reduce light scattering in turbid samples, our work represents a molecule-based strategy that focused on imaging probes.

A user-friendly LabVIEW software platform for grating based X-ray phase-contrast imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shenghao; Han, Huajie; Gao, Kun; Wang, Zhili; Zhang, Can; Yang, Meng; Wu, Zhao; Wu, Ziyu

2015-01-01

X-ray phase-contrast imaging can provide greatly improved contrast over conventional absorption-based imaging for weakly absorbing samples, such as biological soft tissues and fibre composites. In this study, we introduced an easy and fast way to develop a user-friendly software platform dedicated to the new grating-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging setup at the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory of the University of Science and Technology of China. The control of 21 motorized stages, of a piezoelectric stage and of an X-ray tube are achieved with this software, it also covers image acquisition with a flat panel detector for automatic phase stepping scan. Moreover, a data post-processing module for signals retrieval and other custom features are in principle available. With a seamless integration of all the necessary functions in one software package, this platform greatly facilitate users' activities during experimental runs with this grating based X-ray phase contrast imaging setup.

ARTIFICIAL INCOHERENT SPECKLES ENABLE PRECISION ASTROMETRY AND PHOTOMETRY IN HIGH-CONTRAST IMAGING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jovanovic, N.; Guyon, O.; Pathak, P.; Kudo, T. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Subaru Telescope, 650 North A’Ohoku Place, Hilo, HI, 96720 (United States); Martinache, F. [Observatoire de la Cote d’Azur, Boulevard de l’Observatoire, F-06304 Nice (France); Hagelberg, J., E-mail: jovanovic.nem@gmail.com [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

2015-11-10

State-of-the-art coronagraphs employed on extreme adaptive optics enabled instruments are constantly improving the contrast detection limit for companions at ever-closer separations from the host star. In order to constrain their properties and, ultimately, compositions, it is important to precisely determine orbital parameters and contrasts with respect to the stars they orbit. This can be difficult in the post-coronagraphic image plane, as by definition the central star has been occulted by the coronagraph. We demonstrate the flexibility of utilizing the deformable mirror in the adaptive optics system of the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics system to generate a field of speckles for the purposes of calibration. Speckles can be placed up to 22.5 λ/D from the star, with any position angle, brightness, and abundance required. Most importantly, we show that a fast modulation of the added speckle phase, between 0 and π, during a long science integration renders these speckles effectively incoherent with the underlying halo. We quantitatively show for the first time that this incoherence, in turn, increases the robustness and stability of the adaptive speckles, which will improve the precision of astrometric and photometric calibration procedures. This technique will be valuable for high-contrast imaging observations with imagers and integral field spectrographs alike.

New Colors for Histology: Optimized Bivariate Color Maps Increase Perceptual Contrast in Histological Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Kather, Jakob Nikolas; Weis, Cleo-Aron; Marx, Alexander; Schuster, Alexander K; Schad, Lothar R; Zöllner, Frank Gerrit

2015-01-01

Accurate evaluation of immunostained histological images is required for reproducible research in many different areas and forms the basis of many clinical decisions. The quality and efficiency of histopathological evaluation is limited by the information content of a histological image, which is primarily encoded as perceivable contrast differences between objects in the image. However, the colors of chromogen and counterstain used for histological samples are not always optimally distinguishable, even under optimal conditions. In this study, we present a method to extract the bivariate color map inherent in a given histological image and to retrospectively optimize this color map. We use a novel, unsupervised approach based on color deconvolution and principal component analysis to show that the commonly used blue and brown color hues in Hematoxylin-3,3'-Diaminobenzidine (DAB) images are poorly suited for human observers. We then demonstrate that it is possible to construct improved color maps according to objective criteria and that these color maps can be used to digitally re-stain histological images. To validate whether this procedure improves distinguishability of objects and background in histological images, we re-stain phantom images and N = 596 large histological images of immunostained samples of human solid tumors. We show that perceptual contrast is improved by a factor of 2.56 in phantom images and up to a factor of 2.17 in sets of histological tumor images. Thus, we provide an objective and reliable approach to measure object distinguishability in a given histological image and to maximize visual information available to a human observer. This method could easily be incorporated in digital pathology image viewing systems to improve accuracy and efficiency in research and diagnostics.

Megavoltage planar and cone-beam imaging with low-Z targets: dependence of image quality improvement on beam energy and patient separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Robar, James L; Connell, Tanner; Huang, Weihong; Kelly, Robin G

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the improvement of megavoltage planar and cone-beam CT (CBCT) image quality with the use of low atomic number (Z) external targets in the linear accelerator. In this investigation, two experimental megavoltage imaging beams were generated by using either 3.5 or 7.0 MeV electrons incident on aluminum targets installed above the level of the carousel in a linear accelerator (2100EX, Varian Medical, Inc., Palo Alto, CA). Images were acquired using an amorphous silicon detector panel. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in planar and CBCT images was measured as a function of dose and a comparison was made between the imaging beams and the standard 6 MV therapy beam. Phantoms of variable diameter were used to examine the loss of contrast due to beam hardening. Porcine imaging was conducted to examine qualitatively the advantages of the low-Z target approach in CBCT. In CBCT imaging CNR increases by factors as high as 2.4 and 4.3 for the 7.0 and 3.5 MeV/Al beams, respectively, compared to images acquired with 6 MV. Similar factors of improvement are observed in planar imaging. For the imaging beams, beam hardening causes a significant loss of the contrast advantage with increasing phantom diameter; however, for the 3.5 MeV/Al beam and a phantom diameter of 25 cm, a contrast advantage remains, with increases of contrast by factors of 1.5 and 3.4 over 6 MV for bone and lung inhale regions, respectively. The spatial resolution is improved slightly in CBCT images for the imaging beams. CBCT images of a porcine cranium demonstrate qualitatively the advantages of the low-Z target approach, showing greater contrast between tissues and improved visibility of fine detail. The use of low-Z external targets in the linear accelerator improves megavoltage planar and CBCT image quality significantly. CNR may be increased by a factor of 4 or greater. Improvement of the spatial resolution is also apparent.

Accuracy of pre-contrast imaging in abdominal magnetic resonance imaging of pediatric oncology patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Zaki, Faizah; Moineddin, Rahim; Grant, Ronald; Chavhan, Govind B.

2016-01-01

Safety concerns are increasingly raised regarding the use of gadolinium-based contrast media for MR imaging. To determine the accuracy of pre-contrast abdominal MR imaging for lesion detection and characterization in pediatric oncology patients. We included 120 children (37 boys and 83 girls; mean age 8.94 years) referred by oncology services. Twenty-five had MRI for the first time and 95 were follow-up scans. Two authors independently reviewed pre-contrast MR images to note the following information about the lesions: location, number, solid vs. cystic and likely nature. Pre- and post-contrast imaging reviewed together served as the reference standard. The overall sensitivity was 88% for the first reader and 90% for the second; specificity was 94% and 91%; positive predictive value was 96% and 94%; negative predictive value was 82% and 84%; accuracy of pre-contrast imaging for lesion detection as compared to the reference standard was 90% for both readers. The difference between mean number of lesions detected on pre-contrast imaging and reference standard was not significant for either reader (reader 1, P = 0.072; reader 2, P = 0.071). There was substantial agreement (kappa values of 0.76 and 0.72 for readers 1 and 2) between pre-contrast imaging and reference standard for determining solid vs. cystic lesion and likely nature of the lesion. The addition of post-contrast imaging increased confidence of both readers significantly (P < 0.0001), but the interobserver agreement for the change in confidence was poor (kappa 0.12). Pre-contrast abdominal MR imaging has high accuracy in lesion detection in pediatric oncology patients and shows substantial agreement with the reference standard for characterization of lesions. Gadolinium-based contrast media administration cannot be completely eliminated but can be avoided in many cases, with the decision made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration location and type of tumor. (orig.)

Accuracy of pre-contrast imaging in abdominal magnetic resonance imaging of pediatric oncology patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohd Zaki, Faizah [University of Toronto, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children and Medical Imaging, Toronto, ON (Canada); Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Moineddin, Rahim [University of Toronto, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Toronto, ON (Canada); Grant, Ronald [University of Toronto, Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children and Medical Imaging, Toronto, ON (Canada); Chavhan, Govind B. [University of Toronto, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children and Medical Imaging, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2016-11-15

Safety concerns are increasingly raised regarding the use of gadolinium-based contrast media for MR imaging. To determine the accuracy of pre-contrast abdominal MR imaging for lesion detection and characterization in pediatric oncology patients. We included 120 children (37 boys and 83 girls; mean age 8.94 years) referred by oncology services. Twenty-five had MRI for the first time and 95 were follow-up scans. Two authors independently reviewed pre-contrast MR images to note the following information about the lesions: location, number, solid vs. cystic and likely nature. Pre- and post-contrast imaging reviewed together served as the reference standard. The overall sensitivity was 88% for the first reader and 90% for the second; specificity was 94% and 91%; positive predictive value was 96% and 94%; negative predictive value was 82% and 84%; accuracy of pre-contrast imaging for lesion detection as compared to the reference standard was 90% for both readers. The difference between mean number of lesions detected on pre-contrast imaging and reference standard was not significant for either reader (reader 1, P = 0.072; reader 2, P = 0.071). There was substantial agreement (kappa values of 0.76 and 0.72 for readers 1 and 2) between pre-contrast imaging and reference standard for determining solid vs. cystic lesion and likely nature of the lesion. The addition of post-contrast imaging increased confidence of both readers significantly (P < 0.0001), but the interobserver agreement for the change in confidence was poor (kappa 0.12). Pre-contrast abdominal MR imaging has high accuracy in lesion detection in pediatric oncology patients and shows substantial agreement with the reference standard for characterization of lesions. Gadolinium-based contrast media administration cannot be completely eliminated but can be avoided in many cases, with the decision made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration location and type of tumor. (orig.)

Task-based strategy for optimized contrast enhanced breast imaging: analysis of six imaging techniques for mammography and tomosynthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Ikejimba, Lynda; Kiarashi, Nooshin; Lin, Yuan; Chen, Baiyu; Ghate, Sujata V.; Zerhouni, Moustafa; Samei, Ehsan; Lo, Joseph Y.

2012-03-01

Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is a novel x-ray imaging technique that provides 3D structural information of the breast. In contrast to 2D mammography, DBT minimizes tissue overlap potentially improving cancer detection and reducing number of unnecessary recalls. The addition of a contrast agent to DBT and mammography for lesion enhancement has the benefit of providing functional information of a lesion, as lesion contrast uptake and washout patterns may help differentiate between benign and malignant tumors. This study used a task-based method to determine the optimal imaging approach by analyzing six imaging paradigms in terms of their ability to resolve iodine at a given dose: contrast enhanced mammography and tomosynthesis, temporal subtraction mammography and tomosynthesis, and dual energy subtraction mammography and tomosynthesis. Imaging performance was characterized using a detectability index d', derived from the system task transfer function (TTF), an imaging task, iodine contrast, and the noise power spectrum (NPS). The task modeled a 5 mm lesion containing iodine concentrations between 2.1 mg/cc and 8.6 mg/cc. TTF was obtained using an edge phantom, and the NPS was measured over several exposure levels, energies, and target-filter combinations. Using a structured CIRS phantom, d' was generated as a function of dose and iodine concentration. In general, higher dose gave higher d', but for the lowest iodine concentration and lowest dose, dual energy subtraction tomosynthesis and temporal subtraction tomosynthesis demonstrated the highest performance.

Biochemical Stability Analysis of Nano Scaled Contrast Agents Used in Biomolecular Imaging Detection of Tumor Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jennifer; Kyung, Richard

Imaging contrast agents are materials used to improve the visibility of internal body structures in the imaging process. Many agents that are used for contrast enhancement are now studied empirically and computationally by researchers. Among various imaging techniques, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a major diagnostic tool in many clinical specialties due to its non-invasive characteristic and its safeness in regards to ionizing radiation exposure. Recently, researchers have prepared aqueous fullerene nanoparticles using electrochemical methods. In this paper, computational simulations of thermodynamic stabilities of nano scaled contrast agents that can be used in biomolecular imaging detection of tumor cells are presented using nanomaterials such as fluorescent functionalized fullerenes. In addition, the stability and safety of different types of contrast agents composed of metal oxide a, b, and c are tested in the imaging process. Through analysis of the computational simulations, the stabilities of the contrast agents, determined by optimized energies of the conformations, are presented. The resulting numerical data are compared. In addition, Density Functional Theory (DFT) is used in order to model the electron properties of the compound.

Pulse sequences for contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graves, Martin J.

2007-01-01

The theory and application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse sequences following the administration of an exogenous contrast agent are discussed. Pulse sequences are categorised according to the contrast agent mechanism: changes in proton density, relaxivity, magnetic susceptibility and resonant frequency shift. Applications in morphological imaging, magnetic resonance angiography, dynamic imaging and cell labelling are described. The importance of optimising the pulse sequence for each application is emphasised

T2 values of femoral cartilage of the knee joint: Comparison between pre-contrast and post-contrast images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Hyun Jung; Yoon, Young Cheol; Choe, Bong Keun

2014-01-01

To retrospectively evaluate the relationship between T2 values of pre- and post-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) images of femoral cartilage in patients with varying degrees of osteoarthritis. A total of 19 patients underwent delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage. Six regions of interest for T2 value measurement were obtained from pre- and post-contrast T2-weighted, sagittal, multi-slice, multi-echo, source images in each subject. Regions with modified Noyes classification grade 2B and 3 were excluded. Comparison of T2 values between pre- and post-contrast images and T2 values among regions with the grade 0, 1 and 2A groups were statistically analyzed. Of a total of 114 regions, 79 regions showing grade 0 (n = 46), 1 (n = 18), or 2A (n = 15) were analyzed. The overall and individual T2 values of post-contrast images were significantly lower than those of pre-contrast images (overall, 35.3 ± 9.2 [mean ± SD] vs. 29.9 ± 8.2, p < 0.01; range of individual, 28.9-37.6 vs. 27.1-36.4, p < 0.01). Pearson correlation coefficients showed a strong positive correlation between pre- and post-contrast images (rho-Pearson = 0.712-0.905). T2 values of pre- and post-contrast images of the grade 0 group were significantly lower than those of the grade 1/2A group (pre T2, p = 0.003; post T2, p = 0.006). T2 values of the femoral cartilage of the knee joint are significantly lower on post-contrast images than on pre-contrast images. Furthermore, these T2 values have a strong positive correlation between pre- and post-contrast images.

T2 values of femoral cartilage of the knee joint: Comparison between pre-contrast and post-contrast images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Hyun Jung; Yoon, Young Cheol [Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choe, Bong Keun [Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-02-15

To retrospectively evaluate the relationship between T2 values of pre- and post-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) images of femoral cartilage in patients with varying degrees of osteoarthritis. A total of 19 patients underwent delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage. Six regions of interest for T2 value measurement were obtained from pre- and post-contrast T2-weighted, sagittal, multi-slice, multi-echo, source images in each subject. Regions with modified Noyes classification grade 2B and 3 were excluded. Comparison of T2 values between pre- and post-contrast images and T2 values among regions with the grade 0, 1 and 2A groups were statistically analyzed. Of a total of 114 regions, 79 regions showing grade 0 (n = 46), 1 (n = 18), or 2A (n = 15) were analyzed. The overall and individual T2 values of post-contrast images were significantly lower than those of pre-contrast images (overall, 35.3 ± 9.2 [mean ± SD] vs. 29.9 ± 8.2, p < 0.01; range of individual, 28.9-37.6 vs. 27.1-36.4, p < 0.01). Pearson correlation coefficients showed a strong positive correlation between pre- and post-contrast images (rho-Pearson = 0.712-0.905). T2 values of pre- and post-contrast images of the grade 0 group were significantly lower than those of the grade 1/2A group (pre T2, p = 0.003; post T2, p = 0.006). T2 values of the femoral cartilage of the knee joint are significantly lower on post-contrast images than on pre-contrast images. Furthermore, these T2 values have a strong positive correlation between pre- and post-contrast images.

Ultrasound contrast agent imaging: Real-time imaging of the superharmonics

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Peruzzini, D.; Viti, J. [MSD lab, Department of Information Engineering, Univ of Florence, Via S.Marta, 3, 50139 Firenze (Italy); Erasmus MC, ’s-Gravendijkwal 230, Faculty Building, Ee 2302, 3015 CE Rotterdam (Netherlands); Tortoli, P. [MSD lab, Department of Information Engineering, Univ of Florence, Via S.Marta, 3, 50139 Firenze (Italy); Verweij, M. D. [Acoustical Wavefield Imaging, ImPhys, Delft Univ Technology, van der Waalsweg 8, 2628 CH Delft (Netherlands); Jong, N. de; Vos, H. J., E-mail: h.vos@erasmusmc.nl [Erasmus MC, ’s-Gravendijkwal 230, Faculty Building, Ee 2302, 3015 CE Rotterdam (Netherlands); Acoustical Wavefield Imaging, ImPhys, Delft Univ Technology, van der Waalsweg 8, 2628 CH Delft (Netherlands)

2015-10-28

Currently, in medical ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) imaging the second harmonic scattering of the microbubbles is regularly used. This scattering is in competition with the signal that is caused by nonlinear wave propagation in tissue. It was reported that UCA imaging based on the third or higher harmonics, i.e. “superharmonic” imaging, shows better contrast. However, the superharmonic scattering has a lower signal level compared to e.g. second harmonic signals. This study investigates the contrast-to-tissue ratio (CTR) and signal to noise ratio (SNR) of superharmonic UCA scattering in a tissue/vessel mimicking phantom using a real-time clinical scanner. Numerical simulations were performed to estimate the level of harmonics generated by the microbubbles. Data were acquired with a custom built dual-frequency cardiac phased array probe. Fundamental real-time images were produced while beam formed radiofrequency (RF) data was stored for further offline processing. The phantom consisted of a cavity filled with UCA surrounded by tissue mimicking material. The acoustic pressure in the cavity of the phantom was 110 kPa (MI = 0.11) ensuring non-destructivity of UCA. After processing of the acquired data from the phantom, the UCA-filled cavity could be clearly observed in the images, while tissue signals were suppressed at or below the noise floor. The measured CTR values were 36 dB, >38 dB, and >32 dB, for the second, third, and fourth harmonic respectively, which were in agreement with those reported earlier for preliminary contrast superharmonic imaging. The single frame SNR values (in which ‘signal’ denotes the signal level from the UCA area) were 23 dB, 18 dB, and 11 dB, respectively. This indicates that noise, and not the tissue signal, is the limiting factor for the UCA detection when using the superharmonics in nondestructive mode.

Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging: theory, instrumentation and applications.

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Senarathna, Janaka; Rege, Abhishek; Li, Nan; Thakor, Nitish V

2013-01-01

Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) is a wide field of view, non scanning optical technique for observing blood flow. Speckles are produced when coherent light scattered back from biological tissue is diffracted through the limiting aperture of focusing optics. Mobile scatterers cause the speckle pattern to blur; a model can be constructed by inversely relating the degree of blur, termed speckle contrast to the scatterer speed. In tissue, red blood cells are the main source of moving scatterers. Therefore, blood flow acts as a virtual contrast agent, outlining blood vessels. The spatial resolution (~10 μm) and temporal resolution (10 ms to 10 s) of LSCI can be tailored to the application. Restricted by the penetration depth of light, LSCI can only visualize superficial blood flow. Additionally, due to its non scanning nature, LSCI is unable to provide depth resolved images. The simple setup and non-dependence on exogenous contrast agents have made LSCI a popular tool for studying vascular structure and blood flow dynamics. We discuss the theory and practice of LSCI and critically analyze its merit in major areas of application such as retinal imaging, imaging of skin perfusion as well as imaging of neurophysiology.

Comparison of vessel contrast measured with a scanning-beam digital x-ray system and an image intensifier/television system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Speidel, Michael A.; Wilfley, Brian P.; Heanue, Joseph A.; Betts, Timothy D.; Van Lysel, Michael S.

2001-01-01

Vessel contrast was measured in the fluoroscopic images produced by a scanning-beam digital x-ray (SBDX) system and an image intensifier/television (II/TV) based system. The SBDX system electronically scans a series of pencil x-ray beams across the patient, each of which is directed at a distant small-area detector array. The reduction in detected scatter achieved with this geometry was expected to provide an increase in image contrast. Vessel contrast was evaluated from images of a phantom containing iodinated tubes. The vessels were inserted into an acrylic stack to provide a patient-mimicking scattering medium. Vessel diameter ranged from 0.3 to 3.1 mm. Images were acquired at 100 kVp with the SBDX and II/TV systems and averaged to reduce x-ray noise. The II/TV system was operated in the 6-in. image intensifier mode with an anti-scatter grid. The increase in contrast in the SBDX images, expressed as a ratio of the measured SBDX and II/TV contrasts, ranged from 1.63 to 1.79 for individual vessels. This agreed well with a prediction of the contrast improvement ratio for this experiment, based on measurements of the scatter fraction, object-plane line spread functions, and consideration of the source spectrum and detector absorption properties. The predicted contrast improvement ratio for SBDX relative to II/TV images was 1.62 to 1.77

Contrasts agents in magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnet, P.A.; Fernandez, J.P.; Milhavet, J.C.; Chapat, J.P.; Almes, C.; Bruel, J.M.; Rouanet, J.P.; Lamarque, J.L.

1984-01-01

Changing different parameters involved in imaging procedures, paramagnetic substances provide contrast enhancement in MRI. Contrast agents presently studied in animals and clinical trials, are either salts or complexes of mineral ions either nitroxide stable free radicals. Their development should extend the possibilities of tissular characterization and fonctional or metabolic evaluation of the MRI [fr

Use of subvoxel registration and subtraction to improve demonstration of contrast enhancement in MRI of the brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curati, W.L.; Williams, E.J.; Oatridge, A.; Hajnal, J.V.; Saeed, N.; Bydder, G.M.

1996-01-01

To assess the potential of registration of images before and after contrast medium for improving the demonstration of contrast enhancement, we compared conventional 2 D T 1-weighted spin-echo images with precisely registered 3 D volume images and subtraction images derived from them in 2 normal subjects and 30 patients with a variety of brain disease. The volume images were registered to subvoxel accuracy using a rigid body translation and rotation, sinc interpolation and a least-squares fit; subtraction images were obtained from these. Normal contrast enhancement was demonstrated better with positionally registered volume and subtraction images than with conventional images in the meninges, ependyma, diploic veins, scalp, skin, orbit and sinuses. Abnormal enhancement was seen better in meningeal disease, multiple sclerosis and tumours as well as on follow-up studies. Subvoxel registration of images before and after contrast medium may be of considerable value in the recognition of contrast enhancement where there are small changes, or where the changes affect tissues with high or low baseline signal values. The technique also appears likely to be of value in demonstrating contrast enhancement in tissues at inferfaces and at other areas of complex anatomy, and in follow-up studies. (orig.). With 4 figs., 4 tabs

New Colors for Histology: Optimized Bivariate Color Maps Increase Perceptual Contrast in Histological Images.

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Jakob Nikolas Kather

Full Text Available Accurate evaluation of immunostained histological images is required for reproducible research in many different areas and forms the basis of many clinical decisions. The quality and efficiency of histopathological evaluation is limited by the information content of a histological image, which is primarily encoded as perceivable contrast differences between objects in the image. However, the colors of chromogen and counterstain used for histological samples are not always optimally distinguishable, even under optimal conditions.In this study, we present a method to extract the bivariate color map inherent in a given histological image and to retrospectively optimize this color map. We use a novel, unsupervised approach based on color deconvolution and principal component analysis to show that the commonly used blue and brown color hues in Hematoxylin-3,3'-Diaminobenzidine (DAB images are poorly suited for human observers. We then demonstrate that it is possible to construct improved color maps according to objective criteria and that these color maps can be used to digitally re-stain histological images.To validate whether this procedure improves distinguishability of objects and background in histological images, we re-stain phantom images and N = 596 large histological images of immunostained samples of human solid tumors. We show that perceptual contrast is improved by a factor of 2.56 in phantom images and up to a factor of 2.17 in sets of histological tumor images.Thus, we provide an objective and reliable approach to measure object distinguishability in a given histological image and to maximize visual information available to a human observer. This method could easily be incorporated in digital pathology image viewing systems to improve accuracy and efficiency in research and diagnostics.

Intraoperative laser speckle contrast imaging improves the stability of rodent middle cerebral artery occlusion model

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Yuan, Lu; Li, Yao; Li, Hangdao; Lu, Hongyang; Tong, Shanbao

2015-09-01

Rodent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model is commonly used in stroke research. Creating a stable infarct volume has always been challenging for technicians due to the variances of animal anatomy and surgical operations. The depth of filament suture advancement strongly influences the infarct volume as well. We investigated the cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes in the affected cortex using laser speckle contrast imaging when advancing suture during MCAO surgery. The relative CBF drop area (CBF50, i.e., the percentage area with CBF less than 50% of the baseline) showed an increase from 20.9% to 69.1% when the insertion depth increased from 1.6 to 1.8 cm. Using the real-time CBF50 marker to guide suture insertion during the surgery, our animal experiments showed that intraoperative CBF-guided surgery could significantly improve the stability of MCAO with a more consistent infarct volume and less mortality.

FUZZY BASED CONTRAST STRETCHING FOR MEDICAL IMAGE ENHANCEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.C. Raja Kumar

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Contrast Stretching is an important part in medical image processing applications. Contrast is the difference between two adjacent pixels. Fuzzy statistical values are analyzed and better results are produced in the spatial domain of the input image. The histogram mapping produces the resultant image with less impulsive noise and smooth nature. The probabilities of gray values are generated and the fuzzy set is determined from the position of the input image pixel. The result indicates the good performance of the proposed fuzzy based stretching. The inverse transform of the real values are mapped with the input image to generate the fuzzy statistics. This approach gives a flexible image enhancement for medical images in the presence of noises.

Double agents and secret agents: the emerging fields of exogenous chemical exchange saturation transfer and T2-exchange magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents for molecular imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Daryaei, Iman; Pagel, Mark D

2015-01-01

Two relatively new types of exogenous magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents may provide greater impact for molecular imaging by providing greater specificity for detecting molecular imaging biomarkers. Exogenous chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) agents rely on the selective saturation of the magnetization of a proton on an agent, followed by chemical exchange of a proton from the agent to water. The selective detection of a biomarker-responsive CEST signal and an unresponsive CEST signal, followed by the ratiometric comparison of these signals, can improve biomarker specificity. We refer to this improvement as a "double-agent" approach to molecular imaging. Exogenous T 2 -exchange agents also rely on chemical exchange of protons between the agent and water, especially with an intermediate rate that lies between the slow exchange rates of CEST agents and the fast exchange rates of traditional T 1 and T 2 agents. Because of this intermediate exchange rate, these agents have been relatively unknown and have acted as "secret agents" in the contrast agent research field. This review exposes these secret agents and describes the merits of double agents through examples of exogenous agents that detect enzyme activity, nucleic acids and gene expression, metabolites, ions, redox state, temperature, and pH. Future directions are also provided for improving both types of contrast agents for improved molecular imaging and clinical translation. Therefore, this review provides an overview of two new types of exogenous contrast agents that are becoming useful tools within the armamentarium of molecular imaging.

A theranostic dental pulp capping agent with improved MRI and CT contrast and biological properties.

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Mastrogiacomo, S; Güvener, N; Dou, W; Alghamdi, H S; Camargo, W A; Cremers, J G O; Borm, P J A; Heerschap, A; Oosterwijk, E; Jansen, J A; Walboomers, X F

2017-10-15

Different materials have been used for vital dental pulp treatment. Preferably a pulp capping agent should show appropriate biological performance, excellent handling properties, and a good imaging contrast. These features can be delivered into a single material through the combination of therapeutic and diagnostic agents (i.e. theranostic). Calcium phosphate based composites (CPCs) are potentially ideal candidate for pulp treatment, although poor imaging contrast and poor dentino-inductive properties are limiting their clinical use. In this study, a theranostic dental pulp capping agent was developed. First, imaging properties of the CPC were improved by using a core-shell structured dual contrast agent (csDCA) consisting of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) and colloidal gold, as MRI and CT contrast agent respectively. Second, biological properties were implemented by using a dentinogenic factor (i.e. bone morphogenetic protein 2, BMP-2). The obtained CPC/csDCA/BMP-2 composite was tested in vivo, as direct pulp capping agent, in a male Habsi goat incisor model. Our outcomes showed no relevant alteration of the handling and mechanical properties (e.g. setting time, injectability, and compressive strength) by the incorporation of csDCA particles. In vivo results proved MRI contrast enhancement up to 7weeks. Incisors treated with BMP-2 showed improved tertiary dentin deposition as well as faster cement degradation as measured by µCT assessment. In conclusion, the presented theranostic agent matches the imaging and regenerative requirements for pulp capping applications. In this study, we combined diagnostic and therapeutic agents in order to developed a theranostic pulp capping agent with enhanced MRI and CT contrast and improved dentin regeneration ability. In our study we cover all the steps from material preparation, mechanical and in vitro characterization, to in vivo study in a goat dental model. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a

A new method for information retrieval in two-dimensional grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhi-Li; Gao Kun; Chen Jian; Ge Xin; Tian Yang-Chao; Wu Zi-Yu; Zhu Pei-Ping

2012-01-01

Grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging has been demonstrated to be an extremely powerful phase-sensitive imaging technique. By using two-dimensional (2D) gratings, the observable contrast is extended to two refraction directions. Recently, we have developed a novel reverse-projection (RP) method, which is capable of retrieving the object information efficiently with one-dimensional (1D) grating-based phase contrast imaging. In this contribution, we present its extension to the 2D grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging, named the two-dimensional reverse-projection (2D-RP) method, for information retrieval. The method takes into account the nonlinear contributions of two refraction directions and allows the retrieval of the absorption, the horizontal and the vertical refraction images. The obtained information can be used for the reconstruction of the three-dimensional phase gradient field, and for an improved phase map retrieval and reconstruction. Numerical experiments are carried out, and the results confirm the validity of the 2D-RP method

Sequential contrast-enhanced MR imaging of the penis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, K; De Mouy, E H; Lee, B E

1994-04-01

To determine the enhancement patterns of the penis at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Sequential contrast material-enhanced MR images of the penis in a flaccid state were obtained in 16 volunteers (12 with normal penile function and four with erectile dysfunction). Subjects with normal erectile function showed gradual and centrifugal enhancement of the corpora cavernosa, while those with erectile dysfunction showed poor enhancement with abnormal progression. Sequential contrast-enhanced MR imaging provides additional morphologic information for the evaluation of erectile dysfunction.

Phase Contrast Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menk, Ralf Hendrik

2008-01-01

All standard (medical) x-ray imaging technologies, rely primarily on the amplitude properties of the incident radiation, and do not depend on its phase. This is unchanged since the discovery by Roentgen that the intensity of an x-ray beam, as measured by the exposure on a film, was related to the relative transmission properties of an object. However, recently various imaging techniques have emerged which depend on the phase of the x-rays as well as the amplitude. Phase becomes important when the beam is coherent and the imaging system is sensitive to interference phenomena. Significant new advances have been made in coherent optic theory and techniques, which now promise phase information in medical imaging. The development of perfect crystal optics and the increasing availability of synchrotron radiation facilities have contributed to a significant increase in the application of phase based imaging in materials and life sciences. Unique source characteristics such as high intensity, monochromaticity, coherence and high collimating provide an ideal source for advanced imaging. Phase contrast imaging has been applied in both projection and computed tomography modes, and recent applications have been made in the field of medical imaging. Due to the underlying principle of X-ray detection conventional image receptors register only intensities of wave fields and not their phases. During the last decade basically five different methods were developed that translate the phase information into intensity variations. These methods are based on measuring the phase shift φ directly (using interference phenomena), the gradient ∇ φ , or the Laplacian ∇ 2 φ. All three methods can be applied to polychromatic X-ray sources keeping in mind that the native source is synchrotron radiation, featuring monochromatic and reasonable coherent X-ray beams. Due to the vast difference in the coefficients that are driven absorption and phase effects (factor 1,000-10,000 in the energy

The influence of body temperature on image contrast in post mortem MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruder, Thomas D.; Hatch, Gary M.; Siegenthaler, Lea; Ampanozi, Garyfalia; Mathier, Sandra; Thali, Michael J.; Weber, Oliver M.

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess the temperature dependency of tissue contrast on post mortem magnetic resonance (PMMR) images both objectively and subjectively; and to visually demonstrate the changes of image contrast at various temperatures. Materials and methods: The study was approved by the responsible justice department and the ethics committee. The contrast of water, fat, and muscle was measured using regions of interest (ROI) in the orbit of 41 human corpses to assess how body temperature (range 2.1–39.8 °C) relates to image contrast of T1-weighted (T1W) and T2-weighted (T2W) sequences on PMMR. Regressions were calculated using the method of least squares. Three readers judged visible changes of image contrast subjectively by consensus. Results: There was a positive relationship between temperature and contrast on T1-weighted (T1W) images and between temperature and the contrast of fat/muscle on T2-weighted (T2W) images. There was a negative relationship between temperature and the contrast of water/fat and water/muscle on T2W images. Subjectively, the influence of temperature became visible below 20 °C on T2W images, and below 10 °C on T1W images. Conclusion: Image contrast on PMMR depends on the temperature of a corpse. Radiologists involved in post mortem imaging must be aware of temperature-related changes in MR image contrast. To preserve technical quality, scanning corpses below 10 °C should be avoided.

Nitroxide radicals as contrast substances for magnetic resonance imaging diagnostics. Part 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhelev, Z.

2016-01-01

In last ten years, there is a significant progress in the selective and localized detection of redox-active compounds in the cells, tissues, and intact organisms. This progress is due to the development of new synthetic and genetically encoded redox-sensitive contrast substances, as well as due to the improvement of the techniques for their imaging: fluorescent, chemiluminescent, magnetic resonance, nuclear, ultrasonic. One of the most attractive redox-sensitive contrast substances are cyclic (stable) nitroxide radicals. They can be visualized and analyzed in vitro and in vivo by a variety of magnetic resonance techniques - electron-paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Overhauser-enhanced MRI (OMRI). This review describes the merits and demerits of the nitroxide-enhanced EPR and MRI and the perspectives for their application in biomedical studies and clinical practice. The article is intended for a wide range of readers - from students to specialists in the field. Key words: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Electron-Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). Overhauser-Enhanced MRI (O MRI). Nitroxide

Three-dimensional black-blood contrast-enhanced MRI improves detection of intraluminal thrombi in patients with acute ischaemic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Won; Kwak, Hyo Sung; Chung, Gyung Ho; Hwang, Seung Bae

2018-03-19

This study evaluated the utility of three-dimensional (3D), black-blood (BB), contrast-enhanced, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of intraluminal thrombi in acute stroke patients. Forty-seven patients with acute stroke involving the anterior circulation underwent MRI examination within 6 h of clinical onset. Cerebral angiography was used as the reference standard. In a blinded manner, two neuroradiologists interpreted the following three data sets: (1) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) + 3D BB contrast-enhanced MRI; (2) DWI + susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI); (3) DWI + 3D BB contrast-enhanced MRI + SWI. Of these patients, 47 had clots in the middle cerebral artery and four had clots in the anterior cerebral artery. For both observers, the area under the curve (Az) for data sets 1 and 3, which included 3D BB contrast-enhanced MRI, was significantly greater than it was for data set 2, which did not include 3D BB contrast-enhanced MR imaging (observer 1, 0.988 vs 0.904, p = 0.001; observer 2, 0.988 vs 0.894, p = 0.000). Three-dimensional BB contrast-enhanced MRI improves detection of intraluminal thrombi compared to conventional MRI methods in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. • BB contrast-enhanced MRI helps clinicians to assess the intraluminal clot • BB contrast-enhanced MRI improves detection of intraluminal thrombi • BB contrast-enhanced MRI for clot detection has a higher sensitivity.

Element-specific spectral imaging of multiple contrast agents: a phantom study

Science.gov (United States)

Panta, R. K.; Bell, S. T.; Healy, J. L.; Aamir, R.; Bateman, C. J.; Moghiseh, M.; Butler, A. P. H.; Anderson, N. G.

2018-02-01

This work demonstrates the feasibility of simultaneous discrimination of multiple contrast agents based on their element-specific and energy-dependent X-ray attenuation properties using a pre-clinical photon-counting spectral CT. We used a photon-counting based pre-clinical spectral CT scanner with four energy thresholds to measure the X-ray attenuation properties of various concentrations of iodine (9, 18 and 36 mg/ml), gadolinium (2, 4 and 8 mg/ml) and gold (2, 4 and 8 mg/ml) based contrast agents, calcium chloride (140 and 280 mg/ml) and water. We evaluated the spectral imaging performances of different energy threshold schemes between 25 to 82 keV at 118 kVp, based on K-factor and signal-to-noise ratio and ranked them. K-factor was defined as the X-ray attenuation in the K-edge containing energy range divided by the X-ray attenuation in the preceding energy range, expressed as a percentage. We evaluated the effectiveness of the optimised energy selection to discriminate all three contrast agents in a phantom of 33 mm diameter. A photon-counting spectral CT using four energy thresholds of 27, 33, 49 and 81 keV at 118 kVp simultaneously discriminated three contrast agents based on iodine, gadolinium and gold at various concentrations using their K-edge and energy-dependent X-ray attenuation features in a single scan. A ranking method to evaluate spectral imaging performance enabled energy thresholds to be optimised to discriminate iodine, gadolinium and gold contrast agents in a single spectral CT scan. Simultaneous discrimination of multiple contrast agents in a single scan is likely to open up new possibilities of improving the accuracy of disease diagnosis by simultaneously imaging multiple bio-markers each labelled with a nano-contrast agent.

Counter-propagating wave interaction for contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging

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Renaud, G.; Bosch, J. G.; ten Kate, G. L.; Shamdasani, V.; Entrekin, R.; de Jong, N.; van der Steen, A. F. W.

2012-11-01

Most techniques for contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging require linear propagation to detect nonlinear scattering of contrast agent microbubbles. Waveform distortion due to nonlinear propagation impairs their ability to distinguish microbubbles from tissue. As a result, tissue can be misclassified as microbubbles, and contrast agent concentration can be overestimated; therefore, these artifacts can significantly impair the quality of medical diagnoses. Contrary to biological tissue, lipid-coated gas microbubbles used as a contrast agent allow the interaction of two acoustic waves propagating in opposite directions (counter-propagation). Based on that principle, we describe a strategy to detect microbubbles that is free from nonlinear propagation artifacts. In vitro images were acquired with an ultrasound scanner in a phantom of tissue-mimicking material with a cavity containing a contrast agent. Unlike the default mode of the scanner using amplitude modulation to detect microbubbles, the pulse sequence exploiting counter-propagating wave interaction creates no pseudoenhancement behind the cavity in the contrast image.

Counter-propagating wave interaction for contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renaud, G; Bosch, J G; Ten Kate, G L; De Jong, N; Van der Steen, A F W; Shamdasani, V; Entrekin, R

2012-01-01

Most techniques for contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging require linear propagation to detect nonlinear scattering of contrast agent microbubbles. Waveform distortion due to nonlinear propagation impairs their ability to distinguish microbubbles from tissue. As a result, tissue can be misclassified as microbubbles, and contrast agent concentration can be overestimated; therefore, these artifacts can significantly impair the quality of medical diagnoses. Contrary to biological tissue, lipid-coated gas microbubbles used as a contrast agent allow the interaction of two acoustic waves propagating in opposite directions (counter-propagation). Based on that principle, we describe a strategy to detect microbubbles that is free from nonlinear propagation artifacts. In vitro images were acquired with an ultrasound scanner in a phantom of tissue-mimicking material with a cavity containing a contrast agent. Unlike the default mode of the scanner using amplitude modulation to detect microbubbles, the pulse sequence exploiting counter-propagating wave interaction creates no pseudoenhancement behind the cavity in the contrast image. (fast track communication)

Brain magnetic resonance imaging with contrast dependent on blood oxygenation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, S.; Lee, T.M.; Kay, A.R.; Tank, D.W.

1990-01-01

Paramagnetic deoxyhemoglobin in venous blood is a naturally occurring contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By accentuating the effects of this agent through the use of gradient-echo techniques in high yields, the authors demonstrate in vivo images of brain microvasculature with image contrast reflecting the blood oxygen level. This blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast follows blood oxygen changes induced by anesthetics, by insulin-induced hypoglycemia, and by inhaled gas mixtures that alter metabolic demand or blood flow. The results suggest that BOLD contrast can be used to provide in vivo real-time maps of blood oxygenation in the brain under normal physiological conditions. BOLD contrast adds an additional feature to magnetic resonance imaging and complement other techniques that are attempting to provide position emission tomography-like measurements related to regional neural activity

Contrast enhanced MRA: do contrast agents with a higher T1 relaxitivity improve the visualization of carotid artery stenoses?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friese, S.; Krapf, H.; Skalej, M.; Kueker, W.; Fetter, M.; Vonthein, R.

2001-01-01

CE-MRA is a powerful tool for the non-invasive evaluation of carotid artery occlusive disease. However, due to certain drawbacks, it has not completely replaced DSA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if Gd-BOPTA, a contrast agent with high T 1 relaxivity, can increase the diagnostic accuracy of CE-MRA. Material and Methods: The CE-MRA examinations of 54 consecutive patients were evaluated by two experienced radiologists, independently. The examinations of 27 patients were contrasted either with 20 ml Gd-BOPTA or with 20 ml Gd-DTPA. The reviewers were blinded to the contrast agent chosen and to the ultrasound results. They rated the overall image quality and the degree of the ICA stenoses. Results: For the estimation of the degree of the ICA stenoses there was a high interrater validity. In comparison to the ultrasound findings, 6 of 50 high-degree stenoses were underestimated as moderate stenoses. In one of seven sonographically occluded vessels, MRA revealed residual patency in the vessel lumen. It was not possible to identify the contrast agent that was taken for a study. Subjective estimation of the image quality (arterial contrast of the ICA, contrast of the other vessels, and general impression) did not significantly change with the contrast agent employed. Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of CE-MRA for the evaluation of internal carotid artery stenoses is not improved by Gd-BOPTA if identical volumina of contrast media are applied. The potential of this contrast agent can be the reduction of the amount of contrast without loss of diagnostic information. Further studies are necessary. (orig.) [de

Microcomputer simulation of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging contrasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Bihan, D.

1985-01-01

The high information content of magnetic resonance images is due to the multiplicity of its parameters. However, this advantage introduces a difficulty in the interpretation of the contrast: an image is strongly modified according to the visualised parameters. The author proposes a micro-computer simulation program. After recalling the main intrinsic and extrinsic parameters, he shows how the program works and its interest as a pedagogic tool and as an aid for contrast optimisation of images as a function of the suspected pathology [fr

Improvement image in tomosynthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomi, Tsutomu; Umeda, Tokuo; Takeda, Tohoru; Saito, Kyouko; Sakaguchi, Kazuya; Nakajima, Masahiro; Koshida, Kichirou

2012-01-01

We evaluated the X-ray digital tomosynthesis (DT) reconstruction processing method for metal artifact reduction and the application of wavelet denoising to selectively remove quantum noise and suggest the possibility of image quality improvement using a novel application for chest. In orthopedic DT imaging, we developed artifact reduction methods based on a modified Shepp and Logan reconstruction filter kernel realized by taking into account additional weighing by direct current (DC) components in frequency domain space. Processing leads to an increase in the ratio of low-frequency components in an image. The effectiveness of the method in enhancing the visibility of a prosthetic case was quantified in terms of removal of ghosting artifacts. In chest DT imaging, the technique was implemented on a DT system and experimentally evaluated through chest phantom measurements, spatial resolution and compared with an existing post-reconstruction wavelet denoise algorithm by Badea et al. Our wavelet technique with balance sparsity-norm contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) effectively decreased quantum noise in the reconstructed images with and improvement when applied to pre-reconstruction image for post-reconstruction. The results of our technique showed that although modulation transfer function (MTF) did not vary (preserving spatial resolution), the existing wavelet denoise algorithm caused MTF deterioration. (author)

VIP: Vortex Image Processing Package for High-contrast Direct Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez Gonzalez, Carlos Alberto; Wertz, Olivier; Absil, Olivier; Christiaens, Valentin; Defrère, Denis; Mawet, Dimitri; Milli, Julien; Absil, Pierre-Antoine; Van Droogenbroeck, Marc; Cantalloube, Faustine; Hinz, Philip M.; Skemer, Andrew J.; Karlsson, Mikael; Surdej, Jean

2017-07-01

We present the Vortex Image Processing (VIP) library, a python package dedicated to astronomical high-contrast imaging. Our package relies on the extensive python stack of scientific libraries and aims to provide a flexible framework for high-contrast data and image processing. In this paper, we describe the capabilities of VIP related to processing image sequences acquired using the angular differential imaging (ADI) observing technique. VIP implements functionalities for building high-contrast data processing pipelines, encompassing pre- and post-processing algorithms, potential source position and flux estimation, and sensitivity curve generation. Among the reference point-spread function subtraction techniques for ADI post-processing, VIP includes several flavors of principal component analysis (PCA) based algorithms, such as annular PCA and incremental PCA algorithms capable of processing big datacubes (of several gigabytes) on a computer with limited memory. Also, we present a novel ADI algorithm based on non-negative matrix factorization, which comes from the same family of low-rank matrix approximations as PCA and provides fairly similar results. We showcase the ADI capabilities of the VIP library using a deep sequence on HR 8799 taken with the LBTI/LMIRCam and its recently commissioned L-band vortex coronagraph. Using VIP, we investigated the presence of additional companions around HR 8799 and did not find any significant additional point source beyond the four known planets. VIP is available at http://github.com/vortex-exoplanet/VIP and is accompanied with Jupyter notebook tutorials illustrating the main functionalities of the library.

The experimental study of oxygen contrast MR ventilation imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Jian; Guo Youmin; Wu Xiaoming; Xi Nong; Wang Jianguo; Zhu Li; Lei Xiaoyan; Xie Enyi

2003-01-01

Objective: To study the feasibility and basic technology of the oxygen contrast MR ventilation imaging in lung. Methods: Six canine lungs were scanned by using inversion recovery pulse sequence with turbo spin echo acquisition before and after inhalation of the 100% oxygen as T 1 contrast agent, and the T 1 values were measured. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for each inversion recovery time was compared and the relationship between arterial blood oxygen pressure (PaO 2 ) and T 1 relaxation rate was observed. Subtraction technique was employed in the postprocessing of pre- and post-oxygen conditions. Results: Molecular oxygen could shorten the pulmonary T 1 value (average 13.37%, t=2.683, P 1 value of pre- and post-oxygen conditions. The relaxtivity of T 1 resulted in excellent linear correlation (r 2 =0.9974) with PaO 2 . Through the subtraction of pre- and post-oxygen image, the oxygen contrast MR ventilation -image was obtained. Conclusion: The oxygen contrast MR ventilation imaging has the feasibility and clinical potential for the assessment of regional pulmonary function

Nonlinear image blending for dual-energy MDCT of the abdomen: can image quality be preserved if the contrast medium dose is reduced?

Science.gov (United States)

Mileto, Achille; Ramirez-Giraldo, Juan Carlos; Marin, Daniele; Alfaro-Cordoba, Marcela; Eusemann, Christian D; Scribano, Emanuele; Blandino, Alfredo; Mazziotti, Silvio; Ascenti, Giorgio

2014-10-01

The objective of this study was to compare the image quality of a dual-energy nonlinear image blending technique at reduced load of contrast medium with a simulated 120-kVp linear blending technique at a full dose during portal venous phase MDCT of the abdomen. Forty-five patients (25 men, 20 women; mean age, 65.6 ± 9.7 [SD] years; mean body weight, 74.9 ± 12.4 kg) underwent contrast-enhanced single-phase dual-energy CT of the abdomen by a random assignment to one of three different contrast medium (iomeprol 400) dose injection protocols: 1.3, 1.0, or 0.65 mL/kg of body weight. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and noise at the portal vein, liver, aorta, and kidney were compared among the different datasets using the ANOVA. Three readers qualitatively assessed all datasets in a blinded and independent fashion. Nonlinear blended images at a 25% reduced dose allowed a significant improvement in CNR (p < 0.05 for all comparisons), compared with simulated 120-kVp linear blended images at a full dose. No statistically significant difference existed in CNR and noise between the nonlinear blended images at a 50% reduced dose and the simulated 120-kVp linear blended images at a full dose. Nonlinear blended images at a 50% reduced dose were considered in all cases to have acceptable image quality. The dual-energy nonlinear image blending technique allows reducing the dose of contrast medium up to 50% during portal venous phase imaging of the abdomen while preserving image quality.

Variational contrast enhancement guided by global and local contrast measurements for single-image defogging

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Li; Bi, Du-Yan; He, Lin-Yuan

2015-01-01

The visibility of images captured in foggy conditions is impaired severely by a decrease in the contrasts of objects and veiling with a characteristic gray hue, which may limit the performance of visual applications out of doors. Contrast enhancement together with color restoration is a challenging mission for conventional fog-removal methods, as the degrading effect of fog is largely dependent on scene depth information. Nowadays, people change their minds by establishing a variational framework for contrast enhancement based on a physically based analytical model, unexpectedly resulting in color distortion, dark-patch distortion, or fuzzy features of local regions. Unlike previous work, our method treats an atmospheric veil as a scattering disturbance and formulates a foggy image as an energy functional minimization to estimate direct attenuation, originating from the work of image denoising. In addition to a global contrast measurement based on a total variation norm, an additional local measurement is designed in that optimal problem for the purpose of digging out more local details as well as suppressing dark-patch distortion. Moreover, we estimate the airlight precisely by maximization with a geometric constraint and a natural image prior in order to protect the faithfulness of the scene color. With the estimated direct attenuation and airlight, the fog-free image can be restored. Finally, our method is tested on several benchmark and realistic images evaluated by two assessment approaches. The experimental results imply that our proposed method works well compared with the state-of-the-art defogging methods.

Local contrast-enhanced MR images via high dynamic range processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Shekhar S; Engstrom, Craig; Fripp, Jurgen; Neubert, Ales; Jin, Jin; Walker, Duncan; Salvado, Olivier; Ho, Charles; Crozier, Stuart

2018-09-01

To develop a local contrast-enhancing and feature-preserving high dynamic range (HDR) image processing algorithm for multichannel and multisequence MR images of multiple body regions and tissues, and to evaluate its performance for structure visualization, bias field (correction) mitigation, and automated tissue segmentation. A multiscale-shape and detail-enhancement HDR-MRI algorithm is applied to data sets of multichannel and multisequence MR images of the brain, knee, breast, and hip. In multisequence 3T hip images, agreement between automatic cartilage segmentations and corresponding synthesized HDR-MRI series were computed for mean voxel overlap established from manual segmentations for a series of cases. Qualitative comparisons between the developed HDR-MRI and standard synthesis methods were performed on multichannel 7T brain and knee data, and multisequence 3T breast and knee data. The synthesized HDR-MRI series provided excellent enhancement of fine-scale structure from multiple scales and contrasts, while substantially reducing bias field effects in 7T brain gradient echo, T 1 and T 2 breast images and 7T knee multichannel images. Evaluation of the HDR-MRI approach on 3T hip multisequence images showed superior outcomes for automatic cartilage segmentations with respect to manual segmentation, particularly around regions with hyperintense synovial fluid, across a set of 3D sequences. The successful combination of multichannel/sequence MR images into a single-fused HDR-MR image format provided consolidated visualization of tissues within 1 omnibus image, enhanced definition of thin, complex anatomical structures in the presence of variable or hyperintense signals, and improved tissue (cartilage) segmentation outcomes. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Experimental validation of the Wigner distributions theory of phase-contrast imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donnelly, Edwin F.; Price, Ronald R.; Pickens, David R.

2005-01-01

Recently, a new theory of phase-contrast imaging has been proposed by Wu and Liu [Med. Phys. 31, 2378-2384 (2004)]. This theory, based upon Wigner distributions, provides a much stronger foundation for the evaluation of phase-contrast imaging systems than did the prior theories based upon Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction theory. In this paper, we compare results of measurements made in our laboratory of phase contrast for different geometries and tube voltages to the predictions of the Wu and Liu model. In our previous publications, we have used an empirical measurement (the edge enhancement index) to parametrize the degree of phase-contrast effects in an image. While the Wu and Liu model itself does not predict image contrast, it does measure the degree of phase contrast that the system can image for a given spatial frequency. We have found that our previously published experimental results relating phase-contrast effects to geometry and x-ray tube voltage are consistent with the predictions of the Wu and Liu model

In vivo x-ray phase contrast analyzer-based imaging for longitudinal osteoarthritis studies in guinea pigs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coan, Paola [Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich (Germany); Wagner, Andreas; Mollenhauer, Juergen [Department of Orthopaedics of the University of Jena, Rudolf-Elle-Hospital Eisenberg (Germany); Bravin, Alberto; Diemoz, Paul C; Keyrilaeinen, Jani, E-mail: Paola.Coan@physik.uni-muenchen.d [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble (France)

2010-12-21

Over the last two decades phase contrast x-ray imaging techniques have been extensively studied for applications in the biomedical field. Published results demonstrate the high capability of these imaging modalities of improving the image contrast of biological samples with respect to standard absorption-based radiography and routinely used clinical imaging techniques. A clear depiction of the anatomic structures and a more accurate disease diagnosis may be provided by using radiation doses comparable to or lower than those used in current clinical methods. In the literature many works show images of phantoms and excised biological samples proving the high sensitivity of the phase contrast imaging methods for in vitro investigations. In this scenario, the applications of the so-called analyzer-based x-ray imaging (ABI) phase contrast technique are particularly noteworthy. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo x-ray ABI phase contrast imaging for biomedical applications and in particular with respect to joint anatomic depiction and osteoarthritis detection. ABI in planar and tomographic modes was performed in vivo on articular joints of guinea pigs in order to investigate the animals with respect to osteoarthritis by using highly monochromatic x-rays of 52 keV and a low noise detector with a pixel size of 47 x 47 {mu}m{sup 2}. Images give strong evidence of the ability of ABI in depicting both anatomic structures in complex systems as living organisms and all known signs of osteoarthritis with high contrast, high spatial resolution and with an acceptable radiation dose. This paper presents the first proof of principle study of in vivo application of ABI. The technical challenges encountered when imaging an animal in vivo are discussed. This experimental study is an important step toward the study of clinical applications of phase contrast x-ray imaging techniques.

Second harmonic inversion for ultrasound contrast harmonic imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pasovic, Mirza; Danilouchkine, Mike; Faez, Telli; Van Neer, Paul L M J; Van der Steen, Antonius F W; De Jong, Nico [THORAXCENTER, Department of Biomedical Engineering Ee2302, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Cachard, Christian; Basset, Olivier, E-mail: mirza.pasovic@creatis.insa-lyon.fr [CREATIS-LRMN, Universite de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, Universite Lyon 1, Inserm U630, CNRS UMR 5220 (France)

2011-06-07

Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) are small micro-bubbles that behave nonlinearly when exposed to an ultrasound wave. This nonlinear behavior can be observed through the generated higher harmonics in a back-scattered echo. In past years several techniques have been proposed to detect or image harmonics produced by UCAs. In these proposed works, the harmonics generated in the medium during the propagation of the ultrasound wave played an important role, since these harmonics compete with the harmonics generated by the micro-bubbles. We present a method for the reduction of the second harmonic generated during nonlinear-propagation-dubbed second harmonic inversion (SHI). A general expression for the suppression signals is also derived. The SHI technique uses two pulses, p' and p'', of the same frequency f{sub 0} and the same amplitude P{sub 0} to cancel out the second harmonic generated by nonlinearities of the medium. Simulations show that the second harmonic is reduced by 40 dB on a large axial range. Experimental SHI B-mode images, from a tissue-mimicking phantom and UCAs, show an improvement in the agent-to-tissue ratio (ATR) of 20 dB compared to standard second harmonic imaging and 13 dB of improvement in harmonic power Doppler.

Second harmonic inversion for ultrasound contrast harmonic imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasovic, Mirza; Danilouchkine, Mike; Faez, Telli; Van Neer, Paul L M J; Van der Steen, Antonius F W; De Jong, Nico; Cachard, Christian; Basset, Olivier

2011-01-01

Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) are small micro-bubbles that behave nonlinearly when exposed to an ultrasound wave. This nonlinear behavior can be observed through the generated higher harmonics in a back-scattered echo. In past years several techniques have been proposed to detect or image harmonics produced by UCAs. In these proposed works, the harmonics generated in the medium during the propagation of the ultrasound wave played an important role, since these harmonics compete with the harmonics generated by the micro-bubbles. We present a method for the reduction of the second harmonic generated during nonlinear-propagation-dubbed second harmonic inversion (SHI). A general expression for the suppression signals is also derived. The SHI technique uses two pulses, p' and p'', of the same frequency f 0 and the same amplitude P 0 to cancel out the second harmonic generated by nonlinearities of the medium. Simulations show that the second harmonic is reduced by 40 dB on a large axial range. Experimental SHI B-mode images, from a tissue-mimicking phantom and UCAs, show an improvement in the agent-to-tissue ratio (ATR) of 20 dB compared to standard second harmonic imaging and 13 dB of improvement in harmonic power Doppler.

Evaluation of low-energy contrast-enhanced spectral mammography images by comparing them to full-field digital mammography using EUREF image quality criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Lalji, U C; Jeukens, C R L P N; Houben, I; Nelemans, P J; van Engen, R E; van Wylick, E; Beets-Tan, R G H; Wildberger, J E; Paulis, L E; Lobbes, M B I

2015-10-01

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) examination results in a low-energy (LE) and contrast-enhanced image. The LE appears similar to a full-field digital mammogram (FFDM). Our aim was to evaluate LE CESM image quality by comparing it to FFDM using criteria defined by the European Reference Organization for Quality Assured Breast Screening and Diagnostic Services (EUREF). A total of 147 cases with both FFDM and LE images were independently scored by two experienced radiologists using these (20) EUREF criteria. Contrast detail measurements were performed using a dedicated phantom. Differences in image quality scores, average glandular dose, and contrast detail measurements between LE and FFDM were tested for statistical significance. No significant differences in image quality scores were observed between LE and FFDM images for 17 out of 20 criteria. LE scored significantly lower on one criterion regarding the sharpness of the pectoral muscle (p < 0.001), and significantly better on two criteria on the visualization of micro-calcifications (p = 0.02 and p = 0.034). Dose and contrast detail measurements did not reveal any physical explanation for these observed differences. Low-energy CESM images are non-inferior to FFDM images. From this perspective FFDM can be omitted in patients with an indication for CESM. • Low-energy CESM images are non-inferior to FFDM images. • Micro-calcifications are significantly more visible on LE CESM than on FFDM. • There is no physical explanation for this improved visibility of micro-calcifications. • There is no need for an extra FFDM when CESM is indicated.

Phase contrast imaging with coherent high energy X-rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snigireva, I. [ESRF, Grenoble (France)

1997-02-01

X-ray imaging concern high energy domain (>6 keV) like a contact radiography, projection microscopy and tomography is used for many years to discern the features of the internal structure non destructively in material science, medicine and biology. In so doing the main contrast formation is absorption that makes some limitations for imaging of the light density materials and what is more the resolution of these techniques is not better than 10-100 {mu}m. It was turned out that there is now way in which to overcome 1{mu}m or even sub-{mu}m resolution limit except phase contrast imaging. It is well known in optics that the phase contrast is realised when interference between reference wave front and transmitted through the sample take place. Examples of this imaging are: phase contrast microscopy suggested by Zernike and Gabor (in-line) holography. Both of this techniques: phase contrast x-ray microscopy and holography are successfully progressing now in soft x-ray region. For imaging in the hard X-rays to enhance the contrast and to be able to resolve phase variations across the beam the high degree of the time and more importantly spatial coherence is needed. Because of this it was reasonable that the perfect crystal optics was involved like Bonse-Hart interferometry, double-crystal and even triple-crystal set-up using Laue and Bragg geometry with asymmetrically cut crystals.

A New Adaptive Gamma Correction Based Algorithm Using DWT-SVD for Non-Contrast CT Image Enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallel, Fathi; Ben Hamida, Ahmed

2017-12-01

The performances of medical image processing techniques, in particular CT scans, are usually affected by poor contrast quality introduced by some medical imaging devices. This suggests the use of contrast enhancement methods as a solution to adjust the intensity distribution of the dark image. In this paper, an advanced adaptive and simple algorithm for dark medical image enhancement is proposed. This approach is principally based on adaptive gamma correction using discrete wavelet transform with singular-value decomposition (DWT-SVD). In a first step, the technique decomposes the input medical image into four frequency sub-bands by using DWT and then estimates the singular-value matrix of the low-low (LL) sub-band image. In a second step, an enhanced LL component is generated using an adequate correction factor and inverse singular value decomposition (SVD). In a third step, for an additional improvement of LL component, obtained LL sub-band image from SVD enhancement stage is classified into two main classes (low contrast and moderate contrast classes) based on their statistical information and therefore processed using an adaptive dynamic gamma correction function. In fact, an adaptive gamma correction factor is calculated for each image according to its class. Finally, the obtained LL sub-band image undergoes inverse DWT together with the unprocessed low-high (LH), high-low (HL), and high-high (HH) sub-bands for enhanced image generation. Different types of non-contrast CT medical images are considered for performance evaluation of the proposed contrast enhancement algorithm based on adaptive gamma correction using DWT-SVD (DWT-SVD-AGC). Results show that our proposed algorithm performs better than other state-of-the-art techniques.

Evaluation of the improvement of the double-contrast radiographic image quality in the prone position brought about by the use of a decision tree in the screening examination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Yasuji; Nakamura, Syunichi; Ohno, Ryuichi; Azuma, Hiroshi; Fujinaga, Akira; Nagai, Makoto

2009-01-01

We designed a decision tree in order to improve the double-contrast radiographic image quality in the prone position and compensate for the disparity of technique among radiological technologists. We evaluated 391 consecutive individuals who underwent medical checkups at our hospital. Three decision trees, id est (i.e.), Tree 1, Tree 2 and Tree 3, were constructed based on the axis and contortion of the stomach with the use of a prone filling image, and then the insertion site of compression pillow was altered. The image quality at the gastric angulus, the gastric body and the antrum was evaluated based on our original numeric scale, and was compared between the previous method and the present method which employs a decision tree. The image quality improved more significantly in the present method employing a decision tree compared with the previous method, for each decision tree: from 90 points to 100 points for Tree 1, from 70 points to 95 points for Tree 2, and from 39.5 points for 85.7 points in Tree 3. These results indicate that our original procedure employing a decision tree improves the radiographic image quality in the prone position and compensates for the disparity of technique among radiological technologists. Therefore, the present method may be expected to serve as the standard procedure of double-contrast radiography in the prone position. (author)

SU-E-I-56: Threshold Effect of ASIR Before Which Image Improve and After Which Image Degrades.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdulkhaliq, F; Mail, N; Saoudi, A

2012-06-01

This study showed to what extent ASIR improves CT-image and to what extent it degrades it. In our study we used GE HD750 CT-scanner, Siemens Sensation CT-scanner, Catphan, PTW-pin-ion- chamber, CTDI-phantom. We measured the CT-dose using the PTW-pinion-chamber and CTDI-phantom. Image-quality and noise were evaluated using catphan and GE water phantom. Image noise reduce as higher levels of ASIR are applied. A phantom scan showed that 50%ASIR with 50% lower-dose (10.8mGy) achieved the same image noise of standard FBP image with full dose 21.7mGy (noise∼5). To confirm that the two same-noise images retain same image-quality, two scans were compared; one with full dose 260mAs(21.7mGy) and the other one with 50% lower dose 130mAs(10.8mGy). The results showed that ASIR failed to retain the same quality. For high contrast resolution, 50%ASIR reduced the resolution of patterns = 71p/cm, however it improved the detectability of patterns = 61p/cm. ASIR has degraded the CNR of the low-contrast-objects of = 5HU (CNR of 1.4 at 260mAs STND to CNR of 1.08 at 130mAs ASIR), however it improved the CNR of the low-contrast-objects of = 10HU (CNR of 2.35 at 260mAs STND to CNR of 2.63 at 130mAs ASIR). ASIR degraded the edges and killed some of the small objects. This shows that ASIR has a critical point of improve/degrade. Also, ASIR can improve images for the same dose, but with high levels of ASIR (e.g. 100%ASIR), cause disapear of small low contrast objects (e.g. 2mm). People think that ASIR only improves image and reduces patient dose. Our study showed that ASIR has some drawbacks. There is a threshold before wich ASIR is positive and after which ASIR is negative. Recently only GE provide ASIR in the market but our study showed that other CTs such as Siemens can do similar performance like ASIR. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Cumulative phase delay imaging for contrast-enhanced ultrasound tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demi, Libertario; Van Sloun, Ruud J G; Wijkstra, Hessel; Mischi, Massimo

2015-01-01

Standard dynamic-contrast enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) imaging detects and estimates ultrasound-contrast-agent (UCA) concentration based on the amplitude of the nonlinear (harmonic) components generated during ultrasound (US) propagation through UCAs. However, harmonic components generation is not specific to UCAs, as it also occurs for US propagating through tissue. Moreover, nonlinear artifacts affect standard DCE-US imaging, causing contrast to tissue ratio reduction, and resulting in possible misclassification of tissue and misinterpretation of UCA concentration. Furthermore, no contrast-specific modality exists for DCE-US tomography; in particular speed-of-sound changes due to UCAs are well within those caused by different tissue types. Recently, a new marker for UCAs has been introduced. A cumulative phase delay (CPD) between the second harmonic and fundamental component is in fact observable for US propagating through UCAs, and is absent in tissue. In this paper, tomographic US images based on CPD are for the first time presented and compared to speed-of-sound US tomography. Results show the applicability of this marker for contrast specific US imaging, with cumulative phase delay imaging (CPDI) showing superior capabilities in detecting and localizing UCA, as compared to speed-of-sound US tomography. Cavities (filled with UCA) which were down to 1 mm in diameter were clearly detectable. Moreover, CPDI is free of the above mentioned nonlinear artifacts. These results open important possibilities to DCE-US tomography, with potential applications to breast imaging for cancer localization. (fast track communication)

Contrast-enhanced MR imaging monitoring of acute tumor response to chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranney, D.F.; Cohen, J.M.; Antich, P.P.; Endman, W.A.; Kulkarni, P.; Weinreb, J.C.; Giovanella, B.

1987-01-01

Treatment responses of human malignant melanomas were monitored at millimeter resolution in athymic mice by injecting a new polymeric contrast agent, Gd-DTPA-dextran (0.1 mmol Gd/kg, intravenously). Proton MR imaging (0.35 T, spin-echo, repetition time = 0.5 second, echo time = 50 msec) was performed 30 hours after administering diphtheria toxin. Pre-contrast medium images revealed only homogeneous intermediate-intensity tumor masses. Post-contrast medium images of untreated (viable) tumors demonstrated 32% enhancement throughout the entire mass. Post-contrast medium images of toxin-treated tumors revealed marked enhancement (65%) of the histologically viable outer rims, lesser enhancement (38%) of heavily damaged subregions, and no enhancement of dead tumor. These acute, contrast medium-enhanced MR images accurately identified tumor subregions that survived for longer than one week

Optical-based molecular imaging: contrast agents and potential medical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bremer, Christoph; Ntziachristos, Vasilis; Weissleder, Ralph

2003-01-01

Laser- and sensitive charge-coupled device technology together with advanced mathematical modelling of photon propagation in tissue has prompted the development of novel optical imaging technologies. Fast surface-weighted imaging modalities, such as fluorescence reflectance imaging (FRI) and 3D quantitative fluorescence-mediated tomography have now become available [1, 2]. These technical advances are paralleled by a rapid development of a whole range of new optical contrasting strategies, which are designed to generate molecular contrast within a living organism. The combination of both, technical advances of light detection and the refinement of optical contrast media, finally yields a new spectrum of tools for in vivo molecular diagnostics. Whereas the technical aspects of optical imaging are covered in more detail in a previous review article in ''European Radiology'' [3], this article focuses on new developments in optical contrasting strategies and design of optical contrast agents for in vivo diagnostics. (orig.)

Phase-contrast tomographic imaging using an X-ray interferometer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Momose, A. [Hitachi Ltd, Advanced Research Lab., Saitama (Japan); Takeda, T.; Itai, Y. [Univ. of Tsukuba, Inst. of Clinical Medicine, Ibaraki (Japan); Yoneyama, A. [Hitachi Ltd, Central Resarch Lab., Tokyo (Japan); Hirano, K. [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Inst. of Materials Structure Science, Ibaraki (Japan)

1998-05-01

Apparatus for phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography using a monolithic X-ray interferometer is presented with some observational results for human breast tissues. Structures characteristic of the tissues were revealed in the phase-contrast tomograms. The procedure of image analysis consists of phase retrieval from X-ray interference patterns and tomographic image reconstruction from the retrieved phase shift. Next, feasibility of phase-contrast imaging using a two-crystal X-ray interferometer was studied aiming at in vivo observation in the future. In a preliminary study, the two-crystal X-ray interferometer was capable of generating fringes of 70% visibility using synchrotron X-rays. 35 refs.

Phase-contrast tomographic imaging using an X-ray interferometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Momose, A.; Takeda, T.; Itai, Y.; Yoneyama, A.; Hirano, K.

1998-01-01

Apparatus for phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography using a monolithic X-ray interferometer is presented with some observational results for human breast tissues. Structures characteristic of the tissues were revealed in the phase-contrast tomograms. The procedure of image analysis consists of phase retrieval from X-ray interference patterns and tomographic image reconstruction from the retrieved phase shift. Next, feasibility of phase-contrast imaging using a two-crystal X-ray interferometer was studied aiming at in vivo observation in the future. In a preliminary study, the two-crystal X-ray interferometer was capable of generating fringes of 70% visibility using synchrotron X-rays

In-Line Phase-Contrast X-ray Imaging and Tomography for Materials Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayo, Sheridan C; Stevenson, Andrew W; Wilkins, Stephen W

2012-05-24

X-ray phase-contrast imaging and tomography make use of the refraction of X-rays by the sample in image formation. This provides considerable additional information in the image compared to conventional X-ray imaging methods, which rely solely on X-ray absorption by the sample. Phase-contrast imaging highlights edges and internal boundaries of a sample and is thus complementary to absorption contrast, which is more sensitive to the bulk of the sample. Phase-contrast can also be used to image low-density materials, which do not absorb X-rays sufficiently to form a conventional X-ray image. In the context of materials science, X-ray phase-contrast imaging and tomography have particular value in the 2D and 3D characterization of low-density materials, the detection of cracks and voids and the analysis of composites and multiphase materials where the different components have similar X-ray attenuation coefficients. Here we review the use of phase-contrast imaging and tomography for a wide variety of materials science characterization problems using both synchrotron and laboratory sources and further demonstrate the particular benefits of phase contrast in the laboratory setting with a series of case studies.

Improving image quality in portal venography with spectral CT imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Li-qin; He, Wen; Li, Jian-ying; Chen, Jiang-hong; Wang, Ke-yang; Tan, Li

2012-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effect of energy spectral CT on the image quality of CT portal venography in cirrhosis patients. Materials and methods: 30 portal hypertension patients underwent spectral CT examination using a single-tube, fast dual tube voltage switching technique. 101 sets of monochromatic images were generated from 40 keV to 140 keV. Image noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for portal veins from the monochromatic images were measured. An optimal monochromatic image set was selected for obtaining the best CNR for portal veins. The image noise and CNR of the intra-hepatic portal vein and extra-hepatic main stem at the selected monochromatic level were compared with those from the conventional polychromatic images. Image quality was also assessed and compared. Results: The monochromatic images at 51 keV were found to provide the best CNR for both the intra-hepatic and extra-hepatic portal veins. At this energy level, the monochromatic images had about 100% higher CNR than the polychromatic images with a moderate 30% noise increase. The qualitative image quality assessment was also statistically higher with monochromatic images at 51 keV. Conclusion: Monochromatic images at 51 keV for CT portal venography could improve CNR for displaying hepatic portal veins and improve the overall image quality.

Improving image quality in portal venography with spectral CT imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Li-qin, E-mail: zhaolqzr@sohu.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing,100050 (China); He, Wen, E-mail: hewen1724@sina.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing,100050 (China); Li, Jian-ying, E-mail: jianying.li@med.ge.com [CT Advanced Application and Research, GE Healthcare, 100176 China (China); Chen, Jiang-hong, E-mail: chenjianghong1973@hotmail.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing,100050 (China); Wang, Ke-yang, E-mail: ke7ke@sina.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing,100050 (China); Tan, Li, E-mail: Litan@ge.com [CT product, GE Healthcare, 100176 China (China)

2012-08-15

Objective: To investigate the effect of energy spectral CT on the image quality of CT portal venography in cirrhosis patients. Materials and methods: 30 portal hypertension patients underwent spectral CT examination using a single-tube, fast dual tube voltage switching technique. 101 sets of monochromatic images were generated from 40 keV to 140 keV. Image noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for portal veins from the monochromatic images were measured. An optimal monochromatic image set was selected for obtaining the best CNR for portal veins. The image noise and CNR of the intra-hepatic portal vein and extra-hepatic main stem at the selected monochromatic level were compared with those from the conventional polychromatic images. Image quality was also assessed and compared. Results: The monochromatic images at 51 keV were found to provide the best CNR for both the intra-hepatic and extra-hepatic portal veins. At this energy level, the monochromatic images had about 100% higher CNR than the polychromatic images with a moderate 30% noise increase. The qualitative image quality assessment was also statistically higher with monochromatic images at 51 keV. Conclusion: Monochromatic images at 51 keV for CT portal venography could improve CNR for displaying hepatic portal veins and improve the overall image quality.

Detection of acute avascular necrosis with dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nadel, S.N.; Richardson, W.J.; Martinez, S.; Rizk, W.S.; Malizos, K.; Debatin, J.F.

1991-01-01

Early detection of avascular necrosis (AVN) may allow earlier intervention and lead to improved treatment success. This paper is designed to compare standard and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging in the detection of acute AVN. A previously described animal model of AVN was used. Five anesthetized dogs underwent right femoral head devascularization, including placement of a supercooling coil around the femoral neck. Within 3 hours the dogs were imaged in a 1.5-T Signa magnet. Standard T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and STIR images were obtained through both hips. A DiGrass sequence with 30 sequential 3.2-second T1-weighted images was used, and 0.2 mmol/kg gadoteridol was injected intravenously at the start of the sequence at 2 mL/sec with an automated injector. Following imaging, oxytetracycline was given intravenously. After 3 days the dogs were killed, and their femoral heads were extracted, coronally sectioned, and analyzed for fluorescence. T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and STIR sequences showed no marrow abnormalities on either the normal or the operated-on side. With contrast material injection, all normal areas and the unoperated portion the femoral neck and diaphysis enhanced markedly 4-9 seconds following the bolus

Phase contrast imaging using a micro focus x-ray source

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wei; Majidi, Keivan; Brankov, Jovan G.

2014-09-01

Phase contrast x-ray imaging, a new technique to increase the imaging contrast for the tissues with close attenuation coefficients, has been studied since mid 1990s. This technique reveals the possibility to show the clear details of the soft tissues and tumors in small scale resolution. A compact and low cost phase contrast imaging system using a conventional x-ray source is described in this paper. Using the conventional x-ray source is of great importance, because it provides the possibility to use the method in hospitals and clinical offices. Simple materials and components are used in the setup to keep the cost in a reasonable and affordable range.Tungsten Kα1 line with the photon energy 59.3 keV was used for imaging. Some of the system design details are discussed. The method that was used to stabilize the system is introduced. A chicken thigh bone tissue sample was used for imaging followed by the image quality, image acquisition time and the potential clinical application discussion. High energy x-ray beam can be used in phase contrast imaging. Therefore the radiation dose to the patients can be greatly decreased compared to the traditional x-ray radiography.

Post-double-contrast sigmoid flush: An adjuvant technique in imaging diverticular disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lappas, J.C.; Maglinte, D.D.T.; Kopecky, K.K.; Cockerill, E.M.; Lehman, G.A.

1987-01-01

The sigmoid colon is the most difficult colonic segment to examine radiographically, especially when it is involved by diverticular disease. In a prospective study, infusion of a low-density contrast agent was evaluated as an adjuvant technique to high-density double-contrast sigmoid imaging. After a double-contrast barium enema, 52 consecutive patients with sigmoid diverticulosis received an additional 500-ml enema either with water or with a 1.5% CT barium suspension. Rectosigmoid films were compared and evaluated for luminal distention, visualization of the interhaustral space, definition of diverticula, and display of polypoid defects. Sigmoid flush, particularly with the 1.5% CT barium suspension, is a simple adjunct to the double-contrast examination that improves visualization of the diverticular sigmoid and increases diagnostic specificity

NEW TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH-CONTRAST IMAGING WITH ADI: THE ACORNS-ADI SEEDS DATA REDUCTION PIPELINE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandt, Timothy D.; Turner, Edwin L.; McElwain, Michael W.; Grady, C. A.; Abe, L.; Brandner, W.; Feldt, M.; Henning, T.; Carson, J.; Egner, S.; Golota, T.; Guyon, O.; Hayano, Y.; Hayashi, S.; Ishii, M.; Goto, M.; Hashimoto, J.; Hayashi, M.; Iye, M.; Hodapp, K. W.

2013-01-01

We describe Algorithms for Calibration, Optimized Registration, and Nulling the Star in Angular Differential Imaging (ACORNS-ADI), a new, parallelized software package to reduce high-contrast imaging data, and its application to data from the SEEDS survey. We implement several new algorithms, including a method to register saturated images, a trimmed mean for combining an image sequence that reduces noise by up to ∼20%, and a robust and computationally fast method to compute the sensitivity of a high-contrast observation everywhere on the field of view without introducing artificial sources. We also include a description of image processing steps to remove electronic artifacts specific to Hawaii2-RG detectors like the one used for SEEDS, and a detailed analysis of the Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI) algorithm commonly used to reduce high-contrast imaging data. ACORNS-ADI is written in python. It is efficient and open-source, and includes several optional features which may improve performance on data from other instruments. ACORNS-ADI requires minimal modification to reduce data from instruments other than HiCIAO. It is freely available for download at www.github.com/t-brandt/acorns-adi under a Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) license.

Overcoming pitfalls in the diagnosis of aortic dissection with phase-contrast cine MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herfkens, R.J.; Trefelner, E.C.; Jeffrey, R.B.; Pelc, N.J.; Steiner, R.M.; Francis, I.R.

1991-01-01

This paper evaluates whether phase contrast cine MR imaging improves the diagnostic accuracy in aortic dissection. Fifty-five MR examinations in 49 patients were analyzed. Gated coronal and axial spin-echo (SE) images and axial velocity encoded cine images were collected through the thoracic aorta. Blinded interpretations were obtained by first evaluating SE images, then SE and cine (magnitude) images, and finally with the addition of the velocity data for whether there was increase or decreased diagnostic confidence of aortic dissection. Comparisons were made with CT, angiography, and follow-up (including surgery). Fisher discriminant analysis showed that a statistically significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy was made by the addition of the velocity data in cases where a definite diagnosis of aortic dissection could not be made from the SE images alone

Photoacoustic imaging at 1064nm wavelength with exogenous contrast agents

Science.gov (United States)

Upputuri, Paul Kumar; Jiang, Yuyan; Pu, Kanyi; Pramanik, Manojit

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a promising imaging modality for both preclinical research and clinical practices. Laser wavelengths in the first near infrared window (NIR-I, 650-950 nm) have been widely used for photoacoustic imaging. As compared with NIR-I window, scattering of photons by biological tissues is largely reduced in the second NIR (NIR-II) window, leading to enhanced imaging fidelity. However, the lack of biocompatible NIR-II absorbing exogenous agents prevented the use of this window for in vivo imaging. In recent years, few studies have been reported on photoacoustic imaging in NIR-II window using exogenous contrast agents. In this work, we discuss the recent work on PA imaging using 1064 nm wavelength, the fundamental of Nd:YAG laser, as an excitation wavelength. The PA imaging at 1064 nm is advantageous because of the low and homogeneous signal from tissue background, enabling high contrast in PA imaging when NIR-II absorbing contrast agents are employed.

Hepatocellular carcinoma on MR diffusion weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Aisheng; Zuo Changjing; Tian Jianming; Lu Jianping; Wang Jian; Wang Li; Wang Fei

2009-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the findings of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on DWI and dynamic Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging. Methods: Eighty one patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis underwent both DWI and dynamic Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI studies of the liver for HCC detection. MR data of were retrospectively analyzed. Two observers determined in consensus the location and the number of focal lesions. The signal manifestation of the lesions on DWI and dynamic Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging were analyzed. Results: DWI and Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR images detected 122 HCCs and 14 benign lesions. One hundred and sixteen HCCs (95.1%) showed hyperintensity on DWI and 6 HCCs in patients with severe cirrhosis showed isointensity. One hundred and five HCCs (86.1%) revealed hypointensity, 11 HCCs (9.0%) showed isointensity and 6 HCCs (4.9%) exhibited hyperintensity on T 1 weighted images. On Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR images, 101 HCCs(82.8%) were significantly enhanced on arterial phase and 99 HCCs showed hypointensity on portal and equilibrium phases. Twenty HCCs (16.4%), 18 of 20 less than 20 mm in diameter, showed isointensity on arterial phase and hyperintensity on DWI. Eight of 14 benign lesions showed hyperintensity and 6 isointensity on DWI. Five benign lesions with hypointensity on T 1 weighted images without contrast and hyperintensity on DWI showed no enhancement on Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR images; 6 benign lesions with isointensity on both T 1 weighted imaging without contrast and DWI exhibited avid enhancement on arterial phase and isointensty on portal and equilibrium phases; one of the two benign lesions, with isointensity before and after contrast images and hyperintentiy on DWI, was a regenerative nodule; another regenerative nodule with hyperintensity on both T 1 weighted images without contrast and DWI was greatly enhanced on arterial phase and showed isointensity on portal and equilibrium phases. Conclusions: Most of the HCCs were greatly enhanced on arterial phase on Gd

The use of image morphing to improve the detection of tumors in emission imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dykstra, C.; Greer, K.; Jaszczak, R.; Celler, A.

1999-01-01

Two of the limitations on the utility of SPECT and planar scintigraphy for the non-invasive detection of carcinoma are the small sizes of many tumors and the possible low contrast between tumor uptake and background. This is particularly true for breast imaging. Use of some form of image processing can improve the visibility of tumors which are at the limit of hardware resolution. Smoothing, by some form of image averaging, either during or post-reconstruction, is widely used to reduce noise and thereby improve the detectability of regions of elevated activity. However, smoothing degrades resolution and, by averaging together closely spaced noise, may make noise look like a valid region of increased uptake. Image morphing by erosion and dilation does not average together image values; it instead selectively removes small features and irregularities from an image without changing the larger features. Application of morphing to emission images has shown that it does not, therefore, degrade resolution and does not always degrade contrast. For these reasons it may be a better method of image processing for noise removal in some images. In this paper the authors present a comparison of the effects of smoothing and morphing using breast and liver studies

Effects of Resolution, Range, and Image Contrast on Target Acquisition Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollands, Justin G; Terhaar, Phil; Pavlovic, Nada J

2018-05-01

We sought to determine the joint influence of resolution, target range, and image contrast on the detection and identification of targets in simulated naturalistic scenes. Resolution requirements for target acquisition have been developed based on threshold values obtained using imaging systems, when target range was fixed, and image characteristics were determined by the system. Subsequent work has examined the influence of factors like target range and image contrast on target acquisition. We varied the resolution and contrast of static images in two experiments. Participants (soldiers) decided whether a human target was located in the scene (detection task) or whether a target was friendly or hostile (identification task). Target range was also varied (50-400 m). In Experiment 1, 30 participants saw color images with a single target exemplar. In Experiment 2, another 30 participants saw monochrome images containing different target exemplars. The effects of target range and image contrast were qualitatively different above and below 6 pixels per meter of target for both tasks in both experiments. Target detection and identification performance were a joint function of image resolution, range, and contrast for both color and monochrome images. The beneficial effects of increasing resolution for target acquisition performance are greater for closer (larger) targets.

A study on utility of magnetic resonance imaging for female pelvic cavity using enteral MRI contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ham Gyum

1997-01-01

For radiological test in soft tissue or neighboring part with same signal intensity, proper test method and equipment shall be selected as needed. In case of female pelvic cavity, ultrasonography or computed tomography alternatively used, but MRI can be more usefully applied to design treatment method or operation plan by improving the diagnostic accuracy and careful observation of lesion characteristics. Magnetic Resonance Imaging using recently developed Enteral MRI contrast media can acquire more diagnostic information than using only intravenous contrast media. Thus this study attempted to examine the utility of anatomic structure and diagnostic acquisition by imaging the female pelvic cavity using Enteral MRI contrast media. As a result of analyzing magnetic resonance imaging after administering Enteral MRI contrast media to pelvic cavity suspect patients, more diagnostic information media could be acquired than only using intravenous contrast. Especially, in the diagnosis of lesion position, shape, distinction from neighboring tissues it is thought that external Enteral MRI contrast media should be used

Improved X-ray diagnosis of stomach by progress in the development of contrast media and examination techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lotz, W.

1982-01-01

Three factors have been responsible for the advances during the past few years in X-ray examination of the stomach: Improvement of the contrast media used; introduction of the rare-earth foils; and examination techniques imaging all sections of the stomach and of the duodenal bulb under hypotension in double-contrast technique, in complete filling, and imaging the accessible sections by means of proper compression. An interesting technique employs a combination of two different barium sulphate suspension used at the same time, e.g. Bubbly Barium or some other barium sulphate preparation with a small amount of High-Density Barium yielding excellent image of the gastric mucosa (technique with two contrast media). (orig.) [de

CT angiography of intracranial arterial vessels: impact of tube voltage and contrast media concentration on image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramgren, Birgitta; Holtaas, Stig; Siemund, Roger; Dept. of Radiology, Lund Univ., Lund

2012-01-01

Background Computed tomography angiography (CTA) of intracranial arteries has high demands on image quality. Important parameters influencing vessel enhancement are injection rate, concentration of contrast media and tube voltage. Purpose To evaluate the impact of an increase of contrast media concentration from 300 to 400 mg iodine/mL (mgI/mL) and the effect of a decrease of tube voltage from 120 to 90 kVp on vessel attenuation and image quality in CT angiography of intracranial arteries. Material and Methods Sixty-three patients were included into three protocol groups: Group I, 300 mgI/mL 120 kVp; Group II, 400 mgI/mL 120 kVp; Group III, 400 mgI/mL 90 kVp. Hounsfield units (HU) were measured in the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the M1 and M2 segments of the middle cerebral artery. Image quality grading was performed regarding M1 and M2 segments, volume rendering and general image impression. Results The difference in mean HU in ICA concerning the effect of contrast media concentration was statistically significant (P = 0.03) in favor of higher concentration. The difference in ICA enhancement due to the effect of tube voltage was statistically significant (P < 0.01) in favor of lower tube voltage. The increase of contrast medium concentration raised the mean enhancement in ICA with 18% and the decrease of tube voltage raised the mean enhancement with 37%. Image quality grading showed a trend towards improved grading for higher contrast concentration and lower tube voltage. Statistically significant better grading was found for the combined effect of both measures except for general impression (P 0.01-0.05). Conclusion The uses of highly concentrated contrast media and low tube voltage are easily performed measures to improve image quality in CTA of intracranial vessel

"3D fusion" echocardiography improves 3D left ventricular assessment: comparison with 2D contrast echocardiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Augustine, Daniel; Yaqub, Mohammad; Szmigielski, Cezary; Lima, Eduardo; Petersen, Steffen E; Becher, Harald; Noble, J Alison; Leeson, Paul

2015-02-01

Three-dimensional fusion echocardiography (3DFE) is a novel postprocessing approach that utilizes imaging data acquired from multiple 3D acquisitions. We assessed image quality, endocardial border definition, and cardiac wall motion in patients using 3DFE compared to standard 3D images (3D) and results obtained with contrast echocardiography (2DC). Twenty-four patients (mean age 66.9 ± 13 years, 17 males, 7 females) undergoing 2DC had three, noncontrast, 3D apical volumes acquired at rest. Images were fused using an automated image fusion approach. Quality of the 3DFE was compared to both 3D and 2DC based on contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and endocardial border definition. We then compared clinical wall-motion score index (WMSI) calculated from 3DFE and 3D to those obtained from 2DC images. Fused 3D volumes had significantly improved CNR (8.92 ± 1.35 vs. 6.59 ± 1.19, P echocardiography (1.06 ± 0.09 vs. 1.07 ± 0.15, P = 0.69), whereas unfused images produced significantly more variable results (1.19 ± 0.30). This was confirmed by a better intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 0.72; 95% CI 0.32-0.88) relative to comparisons with unfused images (ICC 0.56; 95% CI 0.02-0.81). 3DFE significantly improves left ventricular image quality compared to unfused 3D in a patient population and allows noncontrast assessment of wall motion that approaches that achieved with 2D contrast echocardiography. © 2014, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dynamic Studies of Lung Fluid Clearance with Phase Contrast Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitchen, Marcus J.; Williams, Ivan; Irvine, Sarah C.; Morgan, Michael J.; Paganin, David M.; Lewis, Rob A.; Pavlov, Konstantin; Hooper, Stuart B.; Wallace, Megan J.; Siu, Karen K. W.; Yagi, Naoto; Uesugi, Kentaro

2007-01-01

Clearance of liquid from the airways at birth is a poorly understood process, partly due to the difficulties of observing and measuring the distribution of air within the lung. Imaging dynamic processes within the lung in vivo with high contrast and spatial resolution is therefore a major challenge. However, phase contrast X-ray imaging is able to exploit inhaled air as a contrast agent, rendering the lungs of small animals visible due to the large changes in the refractive index at air/tissue interfaces. In concert with the high spatial resolution afforded by X-ray imaging systems (<100 μm), propagation-based phase contrast imaging is ideal for studying lung development. To this end we have utilized intense, monochromatic synchrotron radiation, together with a fast readout CCD camera, to study fluid clearance from the lungs of rabbit pups at birth. Local rates of fluid clearance have been measured from the dynamic sequences using a single image phase retrieval algorithm

Surface coil imaging of the spine using fast sequences: Improvement of intensity profile and contrast behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Requardt, H.; Deimling, M.; Weber, H.

1986-01-01

Sagittal and axial images obtained using a surface coil suffer from the extreme intensity profile caused by physical properties of the coil and the anatomic entity of subcutaneous fat. The authors present a measuring device that reduces these disadvantages by means of Helmholtz-type coils, and sequences that reduce the fat signal by dephasing its signal part. The extremely short repetition time (<30 msec) allows acquisition times shorter than 10 sec. Breath-holding for this short period to avoid movement artifacts is possible. Images are presented that illustrate the enhanced contrast of spinal tissue and surrounding structures. Comparisons are made with spin-echo and CHESS images

Generalized phase contrast:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glückstad, Jesper; Palima, Darwin

Generalized Phase Contrast elevates the phase contrast technique not only to improve phase imaging but also to cross over and interface with diverse and seemingly disparate fields of contemporary optics and photonics. This book presents a comprehensive introduction to the Generalized Phase Contrast...

Study of quality perception in medical images based on comparison of contrast enhancement techniques in mammographic images

Science.gov (United States)

Matheus, B.; Verçosa, L. B.; Barufaldi, B.; Schiabel, H.

2014-03-01

With the absolute prevalence of digital images in mammography several new tools became available for radiologist; such as CAD schemes, digital zoom and contrast alteration. This work focuses in contrast variation and how the radiologist reacts to these changes when asked to evaluated image quality. Three contrast enhancing techniques were used in this study: conventional equalization, CCB Correction [1] - a digitization correction - and value subtraction. A set of 100 images was used in tests from some available online mammographic databases. The tests consisted of the presentation of all four versions of an image (original plus the three contrast enhanced images) to the specialist, requested to rank each one from the best up to worst quality for diagnosis. Analysis of results has demonstrated that CCB Correction [1] produced better images in almost all cases. Equalization, which mathematically produces a better contrast, was considered the worst for mammography image quality enhancement in the majority of cases (69.7%). The value subtraction procedure produced images considered better than the original in 84% of cases. Tests indicate that, for the radiologist's perception, it seems more important to guaranty full visualization of nuances than a high contrast image. Another result observed is that the "ideal" scanner curve does not yield the best result for a mammographic image. The important contrast range is the middle of the histogram, where nodules and masses need to be seen and clearly distinguished.

Value of MR contrast media in image-guided body interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Saeed, Maythem; Wilson, Mark

2012-01-28

In the past few years, there have been multiple advances in magnetic resonance (MR) instrumentation, in vivo devices, real-time imaging sequences and interventional procedures with new therapies. More recently, interventionists have started to use minimally invasive image-guided procedures and local therapies, which reduce the pain from conventional surgery and increase drug effectiveness, respectively. Local therapy also reduces the systemic dose and eliminates the toxic side effects of some drugs to other organs. The success of MR-guided procedures depends on visualization of the targets in 3D and precise deployment of ablation catheters, local therapies and devices. MR contrast media provide a wealth of tissue contrast and allows 3D and 4D image acquisitions. After the development of fast imaging sequences, the clinical applications of MR contrast media have been substantially expanded to include pre- during- and post-interventions. Prior to intervention, MR contrast media have the potential to localize and delineate pathologic tissues of vital organs, such as the brain, heart, breast, kidney, prostate, liver and uterus. They also offer other options such as labeling therapeutic agents or cells. During intervention, these agents have the capability to map blood vessels and enhance the contrast between the endovascular guidewire/catheters/devices, blood and tissues as well as direct therapies to the target. Furthermore, labeling therapeutic agents or cells aids in visualizing their delivery sites and tracking their tissue distribution. After intervention, MR contrast media have been used for assessing the efficacy of ablation and therapies. It should be noted that most image-guided procedures are under preclinical research and development. It can be concluded that MR contrast media have great value in preclinical and some clinical interventional procedures. Future applications of MR contrast media in image-guided procedures depend on their safety, tolerability

Preliminary research on dual-energy X-ray phase-contrast imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Hua-Jie; Wang, Sheng-Hao; Gao, Kun; Wang, Zhi-Li; Zhang, Can; Yang, Meng; Zhang, Kai; Zhu, Pei-Ping

2016-04-01

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) has been widely applied to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) and soft-tissue composition of the human body. However, the use of DEXA is greatly limited for low-Z materials such as soft tissues due to their weak absorption, while X-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI) shows significantly improved contrast in comparison with the conventional standard absorption-based X-ray imaging for soft tissues. In this paper, we propose a novel X-ray phase-contrast method to measure the area density of low-Z materials, including a single-energy method and a dual-energy method. The single-energy method is for the area density calculation of one low-Z material, while the dual-energy method aims to calculate the area densities of two low-Z materials simultaneously. Comparing the experimental and simulation results with the theoretical ones, the new method proves to have the potential to replace DEXA in area density measurement. The new method sets the prerequisites for a future precise and low-dose area density calculation method for low-Z materials. Supported by Major State Basic Research Development Program (2012CB825800), Science Fund for Creative Research Groups (11321503) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (11179004, 10979055, 11205189, 11205157)

Polycystic ovary syndrome: dynamic contrast-enhanced ovary MR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erdem, C. Zuhal E-mail: sunarerdem@yahoo.com; Bayar, Ulku; Erdem, L. Oktay; Barut, Aykut; Gundogdu, Sadi; Kaya, Erdal

2004-07-01

Objective: to determine the enhancement behaviour of the ovaries in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (DCE-MR) imaging and to compare these data with those of normal ovulating controls. Method: 24 women with PCOS and 12 controls underwent DCE-MR imaging. Dynamic images were acquired before and after injection of a contrast bolus at 30 s and the min of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. On postprocessing examination: (i) the ovarian volumes; (ii) the signal intensity value of each ovary per dynamic study; (iii) early-phase enhancement rate; (iv) time to peak enhancement (T{sub p}); and (v) percentage of washout of 5th min were determined. Data of the ovaries of the women with PCOS and controls were compared with Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: the mean values of T{sub p} were found to be significantly lower in women with PCOS than in controls (p<0.05). On the other hand, the mean values of ovarian volume, the early-phase enhancement rate, and percentage of washout of 5th min of ovaries were significantly higher in PCOS patients (p<0.05). Examination of the mean signal intensity-time curve revealed the ovaries in women with PCOS showed a faster and greater enhancement and wash-out. Conclusion: the enhancement behaviour of ovaries of women with PCOS may be significantly different from those of control subjects on DCE-MR imaging examination. In our experience, it is a valuable modality to highlight the vascularization changes in ovarian stroma with PCOS. We believe that improved DCE-MR imaging techniques may also provide us additional parameters in the diagnosis and treatment strategies of PCOS.

Polycystic ovary syndrome: dynamic contrast-enhanced ovary MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erdem, C. Zuhal; Bayar, Ulku; Erdem, L. Oktay; Barut, Aykut; Gundogdu, Sadi; Kaya, Erdal

2004-01-01

Objective: to determine the enhancement behaviour of the ovaries in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (DCE-MR) imaging and to compare these data with those of normal ovulating controls. Method: 24 women with PCOS and 12 controls underwent DCE-MR imaging. Dynamic images were acquired before and after injection of a contrast bolus at 30 s and the min of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. On postprocessing examination: (i) the ovarian volumes; (ii) the signal intensity value of each ovary per dynamic study; (iii) early-phase enhancement rate; (iv) time to peak enhancement (T p ); and (v) percentage of washout of 5th min were determined. Data of the ovaries of the women with PCOS and controls were compared with Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: the mean values of T p were found to be significantly lower in women with PCOS than in controls (p<0.05). On the other hand, the mean values of ovarian volume, the early-phase enhancement rate, and percentage of washout of 5th min of ovaries were significantly higher in PCOS patients (p<0.05). Examination of the mean signal intensity-time curve revealed the ovaries in women with PCOS showed a faster and greater enhancement and wash-out. Conclusion: the enhancement behaviour of ovaries of women with PCOS may be significantly different from those of control subjects on DCE-MR imaging examination. In our experience, it is a valuable modality to highlight the vascularization changes in ovarian stroma with PCOS. We believe that improved DCE-MR imaging techniques may also provide us additional parameters in the diagnosis and treatment strategies of PCOS

Improved tumor-targeting MRI contrast agents: Gd(DOTA) conjugates of a cycloalkane-based RGD peptide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Ji-Ae; Lee, Yong Jin; Ko, In Ok; Kim, Tae-Jeong; Chang, Yongmin; Lim, Sang Moo; Kim, Kyeong Min; Kim, Jung Young

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Development of improved tumor-targeting MRI contrast agents. • To increase the targeting ability of RGD, we developed cycloalkane-based RGD peptides. • Gd(DOTA) conjugates of cycloalkane-based RGD peptide show improved tumor signal enhancement in vivo MR images. - Abstract: Two new MRI contrast agents, Gd-DOTA-c(RGD-ACP-K) (1) and Gd-DOTA-c(RGD-ACH-K) (2), which were designed by incorporating aminocyclopentane (ACP)- or aminocyclohexane (ACH)-carboxylic acid into Gd-DOTA (gadolinium-tetraazacyclo dodecanetetraacetic acid) and cyclic RGDK peptides, were synthesized and evaluated for tumor-targeting ability in vitro and in vivo. Binding affinity studies showed that both 1 and 2 exhibited higher affinity for integrin receptors than cyclic RGDyK peptides, which were used as a reference. These complexes showed high relaxivity and good stability in human serum and have the potential to improve target-specific signal enhancement in vivo MR images

Improved tumor-targeting MRI contrast agents: Gd(DOTA) conjugates of a cycloalkane-based RGD peptide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Ji-Ae, E-mail: jpark@kirams.re.kr [Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yong Jin; Ko, In Ok [Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Tae-Jeong; Chang, Yongmin [Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Sang Moo [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Kyeong Min [Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jung Young, E-mail: jykim@kirams.re.kr [Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-12-12

Highlights: • Development of improved tumor-targeting MRI contrast agents. • To increase the targeting ability of RGD, we developed cycloalkane-based RGD peptides. • Gd(DOTA) conjugates of cycloalkane-based RGD peptide show improved tumor signal enhancement in vivo MR images. - Abstract: Two new MRI contrast agents, Gd-DOTA-c(RGD-ACP-K) (1) and Gd-DOTA-c(RGD-ACH-K) (2), which were designed by incorporating aminocyclopentane (ACP)- or aminocyclohexane (ACH)-carboxylic acid into Gd-DOTA (gadolinium-tetraazacyclo dodecanetetraacetic acid) and cyclic RGDK peptides, were synthesized and evaluated for tumor-targeting ability in vitro and in vivo. Binding affinity studies showed that both 1 and 2 exhibited higher affinity for integrin receptors than cyclic RGDyK peptides, which were used as a reference. These complexes showed high relaxivity and good stability in human serum and have the potential to improve target-specific signal enhancement in vivo MR images.

Elemental imaging of MRI contrast agents: benchmarking of LA-ICP-MS to MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pugh, J.A.T. [University of Sheffield, Centre for Analytical Sciences, Sheffield (United Kingdom); University of Sheffield, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Cox, A.G.; McLeod, C.W. [University of Sheffield, Centre for Analytical Sciences, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Bunch, J. [University of Birmingham, School of Chemistry, Birmingham (United Kingdom); Writer, M.J.; Hart, S.L. [UCL Institute of Child Health, Wolfson Centre for Gene Therapy of Childhood Disease, London (United Kingdom); Bienemann, A.; White, E. [University of Bristol, School of Clinical Sciences, Southmead Hospital, Bristol (United Kingdom); Bell, J. [Hammersmith Hospital, Metabolic and Molecular Imaging Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London (United Kingdom)

2012-06-15

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) has been used to map the spatial distribution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (Gd-based) in histological sections in order to explore synergies with in vivo MRI. Images from respective techniques are presented for two separate studies namely (1) convection enhanced delivery of a Gd nanocomplex (developmental therapeutic) into rat brain and (2) convection enhanced delivery, with co-infusion of Magnevist (commercial Gd contrast agent) and Carboplatin (chemotherapy drug), into pig brain. The LA technique was shown to be a powerful compliment to MRI not only in offering improved sensitivity, spatial resolution and signal quantitation but also in giving added value regarding the fate of administered agents (Gd and Pt agents). Furthermore simultaneous measurement of Fe enabled assignment of an anomalous contrast enhancement region in rat brain to haemorrhage at the infusion site. (orig.)

Super-nonlinear fluorescence microscopy for high-contrast deep tissue imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Lu; Zhu, Xinxin; Chen, Zhixing; Min, Wei

2014-02-01

Two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy (TPFM) offers the highest penetration depth with subcellular resolution in light microscopy, due to its unique advantage of nonlinear excitation. However, a fundamental imaging-depth limit, accompanied by a vanishing signal-to-background contrast, still exists for TPFM when imaging deep into scattering samples. Formally, the focusing depth, at which the in-focus signal and the out-of-focus background are equal to each other, is defined as the fundamental imaging-depth limit. To go beyond this imaging-depth limit of TPFM, we report a new class of super-nonlinear fluorescence microscopy for high-contrast deep tissue imaging, including multiphoton activation and imaging (MPAI) harnessing novel photo-activatable fluorophores, stimulated emission reduced fluorescence (SERF) microscopy by adding a weak laser beam for stimulated emission, and two-photon induced focal saturation imaging with preferential depletion of ground-state fluorophores at focus. The resulting image contrasts all exhibit a higher-order (third- or fourth- order) nonlinear signal dependence on laser intensity than that in the standard TPFM. Both the physical principles and the imaging demonstrations will be provided for each super-nonlinear microscopy. In all these techniques, the created super-nonlinearity significantly enhances the imaging contrast and concurrently extends the imaging depth-limit of TPFM. Conceptually different from conventional multiphoton processes mediated by virtual states, our strategy constitutes a new class of fluorescence microscopy where high-order nonlinearity is mediated by real population transfer.

Quantitative differential phase contrast imaging at high resolution with radially asymmetric illumination.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yu-Zi; Huang, Kuang-Yuh; Luo, Yuan

2018-06-15

Half-circle illumination-based differential phase contrast (DPC) microscopy has been utilized to recover phase images through a pair of images along multiple axes. Recently, the half-circle based DPC using 12-axis measurements significantly provides a circularly symmetric phase transfer function to improve accuracy for more stable phase recovery. Instead of using half-circle-based DPC, we propose a new scheme of DPC under radially asymmetric illumination to achieve circularly symmetric phase transfer function and enhance the accuracy of phase recovery in a more stable and efficient fashion. We present the design, implementation, and experimental image data demonstrating the ability of our method to obtain quantitative phase images of microspheres, as well as live fibroblast cell samples.

Magnetic resonance imaging of urinary bladder carcinoma: tumor staging and gadolinium contrast-enhanced imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doringer, E.; Joos, H.; Forstner, R.; Schmoller, H.

1992-01-01

Forty-nine patients with urinary bladder carcinomas underwent pre-operative examinations using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The results of the MR examinations were correlated with the clinical-pathological findings following transurethral resection (TUR) and bimanual palpation (n = 47) or radical cystectomy (n = 2). The results of pre-contrast MR tumor staging (T1, T2), viewing stages Tis-T2 collectively, and subsequent to separate assessments of stages T3b-T4b, were correct 76.6% of the time. Gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA) contrast-enhanced examinations (pre-contrast T1 and after Gd-DTPA) showed a staging accuracy rate of 85.7%. T2-weighted images did not indicate any advantage when compared to T1-weighted images following Gd-DTPA. The signal intensity ratios of tumor/fat and tumor/muscle tissue were measured on T1-weighted pre-contrast images and following Gd-DTPA and then evaluated statistically, whereby the increased tumor signal intensity was statistically significant (Wilcoxon test, P < 0.01). Due to the relatively short examination time needed for T1-weighted images and the specific tumor enhancement, the administration of Gd-DTPA proves valuable in the diagnosis of bladder carcinomas. T2-weighted images are not necessary. (orig.)

Contrast-enhanced fast fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MR imaging in patients with brain tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chan Kyo; Na, Dong Gyu; Ryoo, Wook Jae; Byun Hong Sik; Yoon, Hye Kyung; Kim, Jong hyun

2000-01-01

To assess the feasibility of contrast-enhanced fast fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (fast FLAIR) MR imaging in patients with brain tumors. This study involved 31 patients with pathologically proven brain tumors and nine with clinically diagnosed metastases. In all patients, T2-weighted, fast FLAIR, images were visual contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR images were obtained. Contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR images were visually compared with other MR sequences in terms of tumor conspicuity. In order to distinguish tumor and surrounding edema, contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR images were compared with fast FLAIR and T2-weighted images. The tumor-to- white matter contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs), as demonstrated by T2-weighted, fast FLAIR, contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging, were quantitatively assessed and compared. For the visual assessment of tumor conspicuity, contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR image imaging superior to fast FLAIR in 60% of cases (24/40), and superior to T2-weighted in 70% (28/40). Contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR imaging was inferior to contrast-enhanced T1-weighted in 58% of cases (23/40). For distinguishing between tumor and surrounding edema, contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR imaging was superior to fast FLAIR or T2-weighted in 22 of 27 tumors with peritumoral edema (81%). Quantitatively, CNR was the highest on contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR image and the lowest on fast FLAIR. For the detection of leptomeningeal metastases, contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR was partially superior to contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging in two of three high-grade gliomas. Although contrast-enhanced fast FLAIR imaging should not be seen as a replacement for conventional modalities, it provides additional informaton for assessment of the extent of glial cell tumors and leptomeningeal metastases in patients with brain tumors. (author)

Evaluation of potential gastrointestinal contrast agents for echoplanar MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reimer, P.; Schmitt, F.; Ladebeck, R.; Graessner, J.; Schaffer, B.

1993-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate approved aqueous gastrointestinal contrast agents for use in abdominal EPI. Conventional and echoplanar MR imaging experiments were performed with 1.0 Tesla whole body systems. Phantom measurements of Gastrografin, barium sulfate suspension, oral gadopentetate dimeglumine, water, and saline were performed. Signal intensity (SI) of aqueous oral barium sulfate and iodine based CT contrast agents was lower on conventional spin-echo (SE), Flash, and Turbo-Flush images than on EP images. The contrast agents exhibited higher SI on T2-weighted SE PE images and TI-time dependence on inversion recovery EP-images. The barium sulfate suspension was administered in volunteers to obtain information about bowel lumen enhancement and susceptibility artifacts. Oral administration of the aqueous barium sulfate suspension increased bowel lumen signal and reduced susceptibility artifacts. (orig.)

Simultaneous acquisition of dual analyser-based phase contrast X-ray images for small animal imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitchen, Marcus J.; Pavlov, Konstantin M.; Hooper, Stuart B.; Vine, David J.; Siu, Karen K.W.; Wallace, Megan J.; Siew, Melissa L.L.; Yagi, Naoto; Uesugi, Kentaro; Lewis, Rob A.

2008-01-01

Analyser-based phase contrast X-ray imaging can provide high-contrast images of biological tissues with exquisite sensitivity to the boundaries between tissues. The phase and absorption information can be extracted by processing multiple images acquired at different analyser orientations. Recording both the transmitted and diffracted beams from a thin Laue analyser crystal can make phase retrieval possible for dynamic systems by allowing full field imaging. This technique was used to image the thorax of a mechanically ventilated newborn rabbit pup using a 25 keV beam from the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility. The diffracted image was produced from the (1 1 1) planes of a 50 mm x 40 mm, 100 μm thick Si analyser crystal in the Laue geometry. The beam and analyser were large enough to image the entire chest, making it possible to observe changes in anatomy with high contrast and spatial resolution

Simultaneous acquisition of dual analyser-based phase contrast X-ray images for small animal imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kitchen, Marcus J. [School of Physics, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia)], E-mail: Marcus.Kitchen@sci.monash.edu.au; Pavlov, Konstantin M. [School of Physics, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Monash Centre for Synchrotron Science, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Physics and Electronics, School of Science and Technology, University of New England, NSW 2351 (Australia)], E-mail: Konstantin.Pavlov@sci.monash.edu.au; Hooper, Stuart B. [Department of Physiology, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia)], E-mail: Stuart.Hooper@med.monash.edu.au; Vine, David J. [School of Physics, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia)], E-mail: David.Vine@sci.monash.edu.au; Siu, Karen K.W. [School of Physics, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Monash Centre for Synchrotron Science, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia)], E-mail: Karen.Siu@sci.monash.edu.au; Wallace, Megan J. [Department of Physiology, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia)], E-mail: Megan.Wallace@med.monash.edu.au; Siew, Melissa L.L. [Department of Physiology, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia)], E-mail: Melissa.Siew@med.monash.edu.au; Yagi, Naoto [SPring-8/JASRI, Sayo (Japan)], E-mail: yagi@spring8.or.jp; Uesugi, Kentaro [SPring-8/JASRI, Sayo (Japan)], E-mail: ueken@spring8.or.jp; Lewis, Rob A. [School of Physics, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Monash Centre for Synchrotron Science, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia)], E-mail: Rob.Lewis@sync.monash.edu.au

2008-12-15

Analyser-based phase contrast X-ray imaging can provide high-contrast images of biological tissues with exquisite sensitivity to the boundaries between tissues. The phase and absorption information can be extracted by processing multiple images acquired at different analyser orientations. Recording both the transmitted and diffracted beams from a thin Laue analyser crystal can make phase retrieval possible for dynamic systems by allowing full field imaging. This technique was used to image the thorax of a mechanically ventilated newborn rabbit pup using a 25 keV beam from the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility. The diffracted image was produced from the (1 1 1) planes of a 50 mm x 40 mm, 100 {mu}m thick Si analyser crystal in the Laue geometry. The beam and analyser were large enough to image the entire chest, making it possible to observe changes in anatomy with high contrast and spatial resolution.

Dual focal-spot imaging for phase extraction in phase-contrast radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donnelly, Edwin F.; Price, Ronald R.; Pickens, David R.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate dual focal spot imaging as a method for extracting the phase component from a phase-contrast radiography image. All measurements were performed using a microfocus tungsten-target x-ray tube with an adjustable focal-spot size (0.01 mm to 0.045 mm). For each object, high-resolution digital radiographs were obtained with two different focal spot sizes to produce matched image pairs in which all other geometric variables as well as total exposure and tube kVp were held constant. For each image pair, a phase extraction was performed using pixel-wise division. The phase-extracted image resulted in an image similar to the standard image processing tool commonly referred to as 'unsharp masking' but with the additional edge-enhancement produced by phase-contrast effects. The phase-extracted image illustrates the differences between the two images whose imaging parameters differ only in focal spot size. The resulting image shows effects from both phase contrast as well as geometric unsharpness. In weakly attenuating materials the phase-contrast effect predominates, while in strongly attenuating materials the phase effects are so small that they are not detectable. The phase-extracted image in the strongly attenuating object reflects differences in geometric unsharpness. The degree of phase extraction depends strongly on the size of the smallest focal spot used. This technique of dual-focal spot phase-contrast radiography provides a simple technique for phase-component (edge) extraction in phase-contrast radiography. In strongly attenuating materials the phase-component is overwhelmed by differences in geometric unsharpness. In these cases the technique provides a form of unsharp masking which also accentuates the edges. Thus, the two effects are complimentary and may be useful in the detection of small objects

Atomic force microscope image contrast mechanisms on supported lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, J; Dufrêne, Y F; Barger, W R; Lee, G U

2000-08-01

This work presents a methodology to measure and quantitatively interpret force curves on supported lipid bilayers in water. We then use this method to correlate topographic imaging contrast in atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of phase-separated Langmuir-Blodgett bilayers with imaging load. Force curves collected on pure monolayers of both distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE) and monogalactosylethanolamine (MGDG) and dioleoylethanolamine (DOPE) deposited at similar surface pressures onto a monolayer of DSPE show an abrupt breakthrough event at a repeatable, material-dependent force. The breakthrough force for DSPE and MGDG is sizable, whereas the breakthrough force for DOPE is too small to measure accurately. Contact-mode AFM images on 1:1 mixed monolayers of DSPE/DOPE and MGDG/DOPE have a high topographic contrast at loads between the breakthrough force of each phase, and a low topographic contrast at loads above the breakthrough force of both phases. Frictional contrast is inverted and magnified at loads above the breakthrough force of both phases. These results emphasize the important role that surface forces and mechanics can play in imaging multicomponent biomembranes with AFM.

Measurements and simulations analysing the noise behaviour of grating-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weber, T., E-mail: thomas.weber@physik.uni-erlangen.de [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, ECAP - Erlangen Center for Astroparticle Physics, Erwin-Rommel-Str. 1, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Bartl, P.; Durst, J. [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, ECAP - Erlangen Center for Astroparticle Physics, Erwin-Rommel-Str. 1, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Haas, W. [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, ECAP - Erlangen Center for Astroparticle Physics, Erwin-Rommel-Str. 1, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Pattern Recognition Lab, Martensstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Michel, T.; Ritter, A.; Anton, G. [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, ECAP - Erlangen Center for Astroparticle Physics, Erwin-Rommel-Str. 1, 91058 Erlangen (Germany)

2011-08-21

In the last decades, phase-contrast imaging using a Talbot-Lau grating interferometer is possible even with a low-brilliance X-ray source. With the potential of increasing the soft-tissue contrast, this method is on its way into medical imaging. For this purpose, the knowledge of the underlying physics of this technique is necessary. With this paper, we would like to contribute to the understanding of grating-based phase-contrast imaging by presenting results on measurements and simulations regarding the noise behaviour of the differential phases. These measurements were done using a microfocus X-ray tube with a hybrid, photon-counting, semiconductor Medipix2 detector. The additional simulations were performed by our in-house developed phase-contrast simulation tool 'SPHINX', combining both wave and particle contributions of the simulated photons. The results obtained by both of these methods show the same behaviour. Increasing the number of photons leads to a linear decrease of the standard deviation of the phase. The number of used phase steps has no influence on the standard deviation, if the total number of photons is held constant. Furthermore, the probability density function (pdf) of the reconstructed differential phases was analysed. It turned out that the so-called von Mises distribution is the physically correct pdf, which was also confirmed by measurements. This information advances the understanding of grating-based phase-contrast imaging and can be used to improve image quality.

Carcinoma of the uterine cervix. High-resolution turbo spin-echo MR imaging with contrast-enhanced dynamic scanning and T2-weighting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Y.; Yamashita, Y.; Namimoto, T.; Takahashi, M.; Katabuchi, H.; Tanaka, N.; Okamura, H.

1998-01-01

Purpose: To compare high-resolution contrast-enhanced (Gd-DTPA) dynamic MR imaging with T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) imaging in the evaluation of uterine cervical carcinoma. Material and Methods: Thirty-two patients with cervical carcinoma underwent MR imaging on a 1.5 T superconductive unit to have the extension of the disease assessed before treatment. A phased-array coil was used in all patients. In 25 patients, surgical confirmation of the diagnosis was obtained after imaging. Radiation therapy was selected for the remaining 7 patients with advanced carcinoma. Qualitative and quantitative image analyses were also performed. Results: The cervical carcinomas showed maximum contrast in the cervical stroma and myometrium in the early dynamic phase. The tumor/cervical-stroma contrast in the early dynamic phase obtained with the T1-weighted TSE technique (contrast-to-noise ratio 22.6) was significantly higher than that obtained in T2-weighted TSE imaging (contrast-to-noise ratio 4.3). In the evaluation of parametrial invasion, the accuracy of T2-weighted imaging was 71.8% and contrast-enhanced dynamic imaging 81.2%. Conclusion: High-resolution contrast-enhanced (Gd-DTPA) dynamic MR imaging in cervical cancer offers improved tumor/cervical-stroma contrast and provides useful information on parametrial invasion. (orig.)

Real-time automatic fiducial marker tracking in low contrast cine-MV images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Wei-Yang; Lin, Shu-Fang; Yang, Sheng-Chang; Liou, Shu-Cheng; Nath, Ravinder; Liu Wu

2013-01-01

Purpose: To develop a real-time automatic method for tracking implanted radiographic markers in low-contrast cine-MV patient images used in image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Methods: Intrafraction motion tracking using radiotherapy beam-line MV images have gained some attention recently in IGRT because no additional imaging dose is introduced. However, MV images have much lower contrast than kV images, therefore a robust and automatic algorithm for marker detection in MV images is a prerequisite. Previous marker detection methods are all based on template matching or its derivatives. Template matching needs to match object shape that changes significantly for different implantation and projection angle. While these methods require a large number of templates to cover various situations, they are often forced to use a smaller number of templates to reduce the computation load because their methods all require exhaustive search in the region of interest. The authors solve this problem by synergetic use of modern but well-tested computer vision and artificial intelligence techniques; specifically the authors detect implanted markers utilizing discriminant analysis for initialization and use mean-shift feature space analysis for sequential tracking. This novel approach avoids exhaustive search by exploiting the temporal correlation between consecutive frames and makes it possible to perform more sophisticated detection at the beginning to improve the accuracy, followed by ultrafast sequential tracking after the initialization. The method was evaluated and validated using 1149 cine-MV images from two prostate IGRT patients and compared with manual marker detection results from six researchers. The average of the manual detection results is considered as the ground truth for comparisons. Results: The average root-mean-square errors of our real-time automatic tracking method from the ground truth are 1.9 and 2.1 pixels for the two patients (0.26 mm/pixel). The

Real-time automatic fiducial marker tracking in low contrast cine-MV images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Wei-Yang; Lin, Shu-Fang; Yang, Sheng-Chang; Liou, Shu-Cheng; Nath, Ravinder; Liu Wu [Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan, 62102 (China); Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510-3220 (United States)

2013-01-15

Purpose: To develop a real-time automatic method for tracking implanted radiographic markers in low-contrast cine-MV patient images used in image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Methods: Intrafraction motion tracking using radiotherapy beam-line MV images have gained some attention recently in IGRT because no additional imaging dose is introduced. However, MV images have much lower contrast than kV images, therefore a robust and automatic algorithm for marker detection in MV images is a prerequisite. Previous marker detection methods are all based on template matching or its derivatives. Template matching needs to match object shape that changes significantly for different implantation and projection angle. While these methods require a large number of templates to cover various situations, they are often forced to use a smaller number of templates to reduce the computation load because their methods all require exhaustive search in the region of interest. The authors solve this problem by synergetic use of modern but well-tested computer vision and artificial intelligence techniques; specifically the authors detect implanted markers utilizing discriminant analysis for initialization and use mean-shift feature space analysis for sequential tracking. This novel approach avoids exhaustive search by exploiting the temporal correlation between consecutive frames and makes it possible to perform more sophisticated detection at the beginning to improve the accuracy, followed by ultrafast sequential tracking after the initialization. The method was evaluated and validated using 1149 cine-MV images from two prostate IGRT patients and compared with manual marker detection results from six researchers. The average of the manual detection results is considered as the ground truth for comparisons. Results: The average root-mean-square errors of our real-time automatic tracking method from the ground truth are 1.9 and 2.1 pixels for the two patients (0.26 mm/pixel). The

Ex Vivo Perfusion-Simulation Measurements of Microbubbles as a Scattering Contrast Agent for Grating-Based X-Ray Dark-Field Imaging.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Astrid Velroyen

Full Text Available The investigation of dedicated contrast agents for x-ray dark-field imaging, which exploits small-angle scattering at microstructures for contrast generation, is of strong interest in analogy to the common clinical use of high-atomic number contrast media in conventional attenuation-based imaging, since dark-field imaging has proven to provide complementary information. Therefore, agents consisting of gas bubbles, as used in ultrasound imaging for example, are of particular interest. In this work, we investigate an experimental contrast agent based on microbubbles consisting of a polyvinyl-alcohol shell with an iron oxide coating, which was originally developed for multimodal imaging and drug delivery. Its performance as a possible contrast medium for small-animal angiography was examined using a mouse carcass to realistically consider attenuating and scattering background signal. Subtraction images of dark field, phase contrast and attenuation were acquired for a concentration series of 100%, 10% and 1.3% to mimic different stages of dilution in the contrast agent in the blood vessel system. The images were compared to the gold-standard iodine-based contrast agent Solutrast, showing a good contrast improvement by microbubbles in dark-field imaging. This study proves the feasibility of microbubble-based dark-field contrast-enhancement in presence of scattering and attenuating mouse body structures like bone and fur. Therefore, it suggests a strong potential of the use of polymer-based microbubbles for small-animal dark-field angiography.

Motion contrast using optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Fingler, Jeffrey Paul

Diagnosis of ophthalmic diseases like age-related macular degeneration is very important for treatment of the disease as well as the development of future treatments. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical interference technique which can measure the three-dimensional structural information of the reflecting layers within a sample. In retinal imaging, OCT is used as the primary diagnostic tool for structural abnormalities such as retinal holes and detachments. The contrast within the images of this technique is based upon reflectivity changes from different regions of the retina. This thesis demonstrates the developments of methods used to produce additional contrast to the structural OCT images based on the tiny fluctuations of motion experienced by the mobile scatterers within a sample. Motion contrast was observed for motions smaller than 50 nm in images of a variety of samples. Initial contrast method demonstrations used Brownian motion differences to separate regions of a mobile Intralipid solution from a static agarose gel, chosen in concentration to minimize reflectivity contrast. Zebrafish embryos in the range of 3-4 days post fertilization were imaged using several motion contrast methods to determine the capabilities of identifying regions of vascular flow. Vasculature identification was demonstrated in zebrafish for blood vessels of all orientations as small as 10 microns in diameter. Mouse retinal imaging utilized the same motion contrast methods to determine the contrast capabilities for motions associated with vasculature within the retina. Improved contrast imaging techniques demonstrated comparable images to fluorescein angiography, the gold standard of retinal vascular imaging. Future studies can improve the demonstrated contrast analysis techniques and apply them towards human retinal motion contrast imaging for ophthalmic diagnostic purposes.

Magnetic resonance perfusion imaging without contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martirosian, Petros; Graf, Hansjoerg; Schick, Fritz; Boss, Andreas; Schraml, Christina; Schwenzer, Nina F.; Claussen, Claus D.

2010-01-01

Principles of magnetic resonance imaging techniques providing perfusion-related contrast weighting without administration of contrast media are reported and analysed systematically. Especially common approaches to arterial spin labelling (ASL) perfusion imaging allowing quantitative assessment of specific perfusion rates are described in detail. The potential of ASL for perfusion imaging was tested in several types of tissue. After a systematic comparison of technical aspects of continuous and pulsed ASL techniques the standard kinetic model and tissue properties of influence to quantitative measurements of perfusion are reported. For the applications demonstrated in this paper a flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) ASL perfusion preparation approach followed by true fast imaging with steady precession (true FISP) data recording was developed and implemented on whole-body scanners operating at 0.2, 1.5 and 3 T for quantitative perfusion measurement in various types of tissue. ASL imaging provides a non-invasive tool for assessment of tissue perfusion rates in vivo. Images recorded from kidney, lung, brain, salivary gland and thyroid gland provide a spatial resolution of a few millimetres and sufficient signal to noise ratio in perfusion maps after 2-5 min of examination time. Newly developed ASL techniques provide especially high image quality and quantitative perfusion maps in tissues with relatively high perfusion rates (as also present in many tumours). Averaging of acquisitions and image subtraction procedures are mandatory, leading to the necessity of synchronization of data recording to breathing in abdominal and thoracic organs. (orig.)

TU-F-18C-02: Increasing Amorphous Selenium Thickness in Direct Conversion Flat-Panel Imagers for Contrast-Enhanced Dual-Energy Breast Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scaduto, DA; Hu, Y-H; Zhao, W

2014-01-01

Purpose: Contrast-enhanced (CE) breast imaging using iodinated contrast agents requires imaging with x-ray spectra at energies greater than those used in mammography. Optimizing amorphous selenium (a-Se) flat panel imagers (FPI) for this higher energy range may increase lesion conspicuity. Methods: We compare imaging performance of a conventional FPI with 200 μm a-Se conversion layer to a prototype FPI with 300 μm a-Se layer. Both detectors are evaluated in a Siemens MAMMOMAT Inspiration prototype digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system using low-energy (W/Rh 28 kVp) and high-energy (W/Cu 49 kVp) x-ray spectra. Detectability of iodinated lesions in dual-energy images is evaluated using an iodine contrast phantom. Effects of beam obliquity are investigated in projection and reconstructed images using different reconstruction methods. The ideal observer signal-to-noise ratio is used as a figure-of-merit to predict the optimal a-Se thickness for CE lesion detectability without compromising conventional full-field digital mammography (FFDM) and DBT performance. Results: Increasing a-Se thickness from 200 μm to 300 μm preserves imaging performance at typical mammographic energies (e.g. W/Rh 28 kVp), and improves the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) for high energy (W/Cu 49 kVp) by 30%. While the more penetrating high-energy x-ray photons increase geometric blur due to beam obliquity in the FPI with thicker a-Se layer, the effect on lesion detectability in FBP reconstructions is negligible due to the reconstruction filters employed. Ideal observer SNR for CE objects shows improvements in in-plane detectability with increasing a-Se thicknesses, though small lesion detectability begins to degrade in oblique projections for a-Se thickness above 500 μm. Conclusion: Increasing a-Se thickness in direct conversion FPI from 200 μm to 300 μm improves lesion detectability in CE breast imaging with virtually no cost to conventional FFDM and DBT. This work was partially

Novel Gd nanoparticles enhance vascular contrast for high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tot Bui

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Gadolinium (Gd, with its 7 unpaired electrons in 4f orbitals that provide a very large magnetic moment, is proven to be among the best agents for contrast enhanced MRI. Unfortunately, the most potent MR contrast agent based on Gd requires relatively high doses of Gd. The Gd-chelated to diethylene-triamine-penta-acetic acid (DTPA, or other derivatives (at 0.1 mmole/kg recommended dose, distribute broadly into tissues and clear through the kidney. These contrast agents carry the risk of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF, particularly in kidney impaired subjects. Thus, Gd contrast agents that produce higher resolution images using a much lower Gd dose could address both imaging sensitivity and Gd safety.To determine whether a biocompatible lipid nanoparticle with surface bound Gd can improve MRI contrast sensitivity, we constructed Gd-lipid nanoparticles (Gd-LNP containing lipid bound DTPA and Gd. The Gd-LNP were intravenously administered to rats and MR images collected. We found that Gd in Gd-LNP produced a greater than 33-fold higher longitudinal (T(1 relaxivity, r(1, constant than the current FDA approved Gd-chelated contrast agents. Intravenous administration of these Gd-LNP at only 3% of the recommended clinical Gd dose produced MRI signal-to-noise ratios of greater than 300 in all vasculatures. Unlike current Gd contrast agents, these Gd-LNP stably retained Gd in normal vasculature, and are eliminated predominately through the biliary, instead of the renal system. Gd-LNP did not appear to accumulate in the liver or kidney, and was eliminated completely within 24 hrs.The novel Gd-nanoparticles provide high quality contrast enhanced vascular MRI at 97% reduced dose of Gd and do not rely on renal clearance. This new agent is likely to be suitable for patients exhibiting varying degrees of renal impairment. The simple and adaptive nanoparticle design could accommodate ligand or receptor coating for drug delivery optimization and in vivo drug

The Use of Acoustic Radiation Force Decorrelation-Weighted Pulse Inversion for Enhanced Ultrasound Contrast Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Herbst, Elizabeth B; Unnikrishnan, Sunil; Wang, Shiying; Klibanov, Alexander L; Hossack, John A; Mauldin, Frank William

2017-02-01

The use of ultrasound imaging for cancer diagnosis and screening can be enhanced with the use of molecularly targeted microbubbles. Nonlinear imaging strategies such as pulse inversion (PI) and "contrast pulse sequences" (CPS) can be used to differentiate microbubble signal, but often fail to suppress highly echogenic tissue interfaces. This failure results in false-positive detection and potential misdiagnosis. In this study, a novel acoustic radiation force (ARF)-based approach was developed for superior microbubble signal detection. The feasibility of this technique, termed ARF decorrelation-weighted PI (ADW-PI), was demonstrated in vivo using a subcutaneous mouse tumor model. Tumors were implanted in the hindlimb of C57BL/6 mice by subcutaneous injection of MC38 cells. Lipid-shelled microbubbles were conjugated to anti-VEGFR2 antibody and administered via bolus injection. An image sequence using ARF pulses to generate microbubble motion was combined with PI imaging on a Verasonics Vantage programmable scanner. ADW-PI images were generated by combining PI images with interframe signal decorrelation data. For comparison, CPS images of the same mouse tumor were acquired using a Siemens Sequoia clinical scanner. Microbubble-bound regions in the tumor interior exhibited significantly higher signal decorrelation than static tissue (n = 9, P < 0.001). The application of ARF significantly increased microbubble signal decorrelation (n = 9, P < 0.01). Using these decorrelation measurements, ADW-PI imaging demonstrated significantly improved microbubble contrast-to-tissue ratio when compared with corresponding CPS or PI images (n = 9, P < 0.001). Contrast-to-tissue ratio improved with ADW-PI by approximately 3 dB compared with PI images and 2 dB compared with CPS images. Acoustic radiation force can be used to generate adherent microbubble signal decorrelation without microbubble bursting. When combined with PI, measurements of the resulting microbubble signal

Supervised detection of exoplanets in high-contrast imaging sequences

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez Gonzalez, C. A.; Absil, O.; Van Droogenbroeck, M.

2018-06-01

Context. Post-processing algorithms play a key role in pushing the detection limits of high-contrast imaging (HCI) instruments. State-of-the-art image processing approaches for HCI enable the production of science-ready images relying on unsupervised learning techniques, such as low-rank approximations, for generating a model point spread function (PSF) and subtracting the residual starlight and speckle noise. Aims: In order to maximize the detection rate of HCI instruments and survey campaigns, advanced algorithms with higher sensitivities to faint companions are needed, especially for the speckle-dominated innermost region of the images. Methods: We propose a reformulation of the exoplanet detection task (for ADI sequences) that builds on well-established machine learning techniques to take HCI post-processing from an unsupervised to a supervised learning context. In this new framework, we present algorithmic solutions using two different discriminative models: SODIRF (random forests) and SODINN (neural networks). We test these algorithms on real ADI datasets from VLT/NACO and VLT/SPHERE HCI instruments. We then assess their performances by injecting fake companions and using receiver operating characteristic analysis. This is done in comparison with state-of-the-art ADI algorithms, such as ADI principal component analysis (ADI-PCA). Results: This study shows the improved sensitivity versus specificity trade-off of the proposed supervised detection approach. At the diffraction limit, SODINN improves the true positive rate by a factor ranging from 2 to 10 (depending on the dataset and angular separation) with respect to ADI-PCA when working at the same false-positive level. Conclusions: The proposed supervised detection framework outperforms state-of-the-art techniques in the task of discriminating planet signal from speckles. In addition, it offers the possibility of re-processing existing HCI databases to maximize their scientific return and potentially improve

pH-induced contrast in viscoelasticity imaging of biopolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yapp, R D; Insana, M F

2009-01-01

Understanding contrast mechanisms and identifying discriminating features is at the heart of diagnostic imaging development. This paper focuses on how pH influences the viscoelastic properties of biopolymers to better understand the effects of extracellular pH on breast tumour elasticity imaging. Extracellular pH is known to decrease as much as 1 pH unit in breast tumours, thus creating a dangerous environment that increases cellular mutatation rates and therapeutic resistance. We used a gelatin hydrogel phantom to isolate the effects of pH on a polymer network with similarities to the extracellular matrix in breast stroma. Using compressive unconfined creep and stress relaxation measurements, we systematically measured the viscoelastic features sensitive to pH by way of time-domain models and complex modulus analysis. These results are used to determine the sensitivity of quasi-static ultrasonic elasticity imaging to pH. We found a strong elastic response of the polymer network to pH, such that the matrix stiffness decreases as pH was reduced; however, the viscous response of the medium to pH was negligible. While physiological features of breast stroma such as proteoglycans and vascular networks are not included in our hydrogel model, observations in this study provide insight into viscoelastic features specific to pH changes in the collagenous stromal network. These observations suggest that the large contrast common in breast tumours with desmoplasia may be reduced under acidic conditions, and that viscoelastic features are unlikely to improve discriminability.

Morphological rational operator for contrast enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Peregrina-Barreto, Hayde; Herrera-Navarro, Ana M; Morales-Hernández, Luis A; Terol-Villalobos, Iván R

2011-03-01

Contrast enhancement is an important task in image processing that is commonly used as a preprocessing step to improve the images for other tasks such as segmentation. However, some methods for contrast improvement that work well in low-contrast regions affect good contrast regions as well. This occurs due to the fact that some elements may vanish. A method focused on images with different luminance conditions is introduced in the present work. The proposed method is based on morphological transformations by reconstruction and rational operations, which, altogether, allow a more accurate contrast enhancement resulting in regions that are in harmony with their environment. Furthermore, due to the properties of these morphological transformations, the creation of new elements on the image is avoided. The processing is carried out on luminance values in the u'v'Y color space, which avoids the creation of new colors. As a result of the previous considerations, the proposed method keeps the natural color appearance of the image.

Glioblastoma cells labeled by robust Raman tags for enhancing imaging contrast.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Li-Ching; Chang, Yung-Ching; Wu, Yi-Syuan; Sun, Wei-Lun; Liu, Chan-Chuan; Sze, Chun-I; Chen, Shiuan-Yeh

2018-05-01

Complete removal of a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a highly malignant brain tumor, is challenging due to its infiltrative characteristics. Therefore, utilizing imaging agents such as fluorophores to increase the contrast between GBM and normal cells can help neurosurgeons to locate residual cancer cells during image guided surgery. In this work, Raman tag based labeling and imaging for GBM cells in vitro is described and evaluated. The cell membrane of a GBM adsorbs a substantial amount of functionalized Raman tags through overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and "broadcasts" stronger pre-defined Raman signals than normal cells. The average ratio between Raman signals from a GBM cell and autofluorescence from a normal cell can be up to 15. In addition, the intensity of these images is stable under laser illuminations without suffering from the severe photo-bleaching that usually occurs in fluorescent imaging. Our results show that labeling and imaging GBM cells via robust Raman tags is a viable alternative method to distinguish them from normal cells. This Raman tag based method can be used solely or integrated into an existing fluorescence system to improve the identification of infiltrative glial tumor cells around the boundary, which will further reduce GBM recurrence. In addition, it can also be applied/extended to other types of cancer to improve the effectiveness of image guided surgery.

A dual-view digital tomosynthesis imaging technique for improved chest imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhong, Yuncheng; Lai, Chao-Jen; Wang, Tianpeng; Shaw, Chris C., E-mail: cshaw@mdanderson.org [Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054 (United States)

2015-09-15

Purpose: Digital tomosynthesis (DTS) has been shown to be useful for reducing the overlapping of abnormalities with anatomical structures at various depth levels along the posterior–anterior (PA) direction in chest radiography. However, DTS provides crude three-dimensional (3D) images that have poor resolution in the lateral view and can only be displayed with reasonable quality in the PA view. Furthermore, the spillover of high-contrast objects from off-fulcrum planes generates artifacts that may impede the diagnostic use of the DTS images. In this paper, the authors describe and demonstrate the use of a dual-view DTS technique to improve the accuracy of the reconstructed volume image data for more accurate rendition of the anatomy and slice images with improved resolution and reduced artifacts, thus allowing the 3D image data to be viewed in views other than the PA view. Methods: With the dual-view DTS technique, limited angle scans are performed and projection images are acquired in two orthogonal views: PA and lateral. The dual-view projection data are used together to reconstruct 3D images using the maximum likelihood expectation maximization iterative algorithm. In this study, projection images were simulated or experimentally acquired over 360° using the scanning geometry for cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). While all projections were used to reconstruct CBCT images, selected projections were extracted and used to reconstruct single- and dual-view DTS images for comparison with the CBCT images. For realistic demonstration and comparison, a digital chest phantom derived from clinical CT images was used for the simulation study. An anthropomorphic chest phantom was imaged for the experimental study. The resultant dual-view DTS images were visually compared with the single-view DTS images and CBCT images for the presence of image artifacts and accuracy of CT numbers and anatomy and quantitatively compared with root-mean-square-deviation (RMSD) values

Rational Variety Mapping for Contrast-Enhanced Nonlinear Unsupervised Segmentation of Multispectral Images of Unstained Specimen

Science.gov (United States)

Kopriva, Ivica; Hadžija, Mirko; Popović Hadžija, Marijana; Korolija, Marina; Cichocki, Andrzej

2011-01-01

A methodology is proposed for nonlinear contrast-enhanced unsupervised segmentation of multispectral (color) microscopy images of principally unstained specimens. The methodology exploits spectral diversity and spatial sparseness to find anatomical differences between materials (cells, nuclei, and background) present in the image. It consists of rth-order rational variety mapping (RVM) followed by matrix/tensor factorization. Sparseness constraint implies duality between nonlinear unsupervised segmentation and multiclass pattern assignment problems. Classes not linearly separable in the original input space become separable with high probability in the higher-dimensional mapped space. Hence, RVM mapping has two advantages: it takes implicitly into account nonlinearities present in the image (ie, they are not required to be known) and it increases spectral diversity (ie, contrast) between materials, due to increased dimensionality of the mapped space. This is expected to improve performance of systems for automated classification and analysis of microscopic histopathological images. The methodology was validated using RVM of the second and third orders of the experimental multispectral microscopy images of unstained sciatic nerve fibers (nervus ischiadicus) and of unstained white pulp in the spleen tissue, compared with a manually defined ground truth labeled by two trained pathophysiologists. The methodology can also be useful for additional contrast enhancement of images of stained specimens. PMID:21708116

Grating-based X-ray phase contrast for biomedical imaging applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfeiffer, Franz; Willner, Marian; Chabior, Michael; Herzen, Julia; Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Geesthacht; Auweter, Sigrid; Reiser, Maximilian; Bamberg, Fabian

2013-01-01

In this review article we describe the development of grating-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging, with particular emphasis on potential biomedical applications of the technology. We review the basics of image formation in grating-based phase-contrast and dark-field radiography and present some exemplary multimodal radiography results obtained with laboratory X-ray sources. Furthermore, we discuss the theoretical concepts to extend grating-based multimodal radiography to quantitative transmission, phase-contrast, and dark-field scattering computed tomography. (orig.)

In-line X-ray phase-contrast imaging of murine liver microvasculature ex vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Beilei; Xu Min; Shi Hongcheng; Chen Shaoliang; Wu Weizhong; Peng Guanyun; Zhang Xi; Peng Yifeng

2012-01-01

Imaging blood vessels is of importance for determining the vascular distribution of organs and tumors. Phase-contrast X-ray imaging can reveal the vessels in much more detail than conventional X-ray absorption method. Visualizing murine liver microvasculature ex vivo with phase-contrast X-ray imaging was performed at Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Barium sulfate and physiological saline were used as contrast agents for the blood vessels. Blood vessels of <Φ20 μm could be detected by replacing resident blood with physiological saline or barium sulfate. An entire branch of the portal vein (from the main axial portal vein to the ninth generation of branching) could be captured in a single phase-contrast image. It is demonstrated that selective angiography based on phase contrast X-ray imaging, with a physiological material of low Z elements (such as saline) being the contrast agent, is a viable imaging strategy. Further efforts will be focused on using the technique to image tumor angiogenesis. (authors)

Diffraction contrast STEM of dislocations: Imaging and simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, P.J.; Brandes, M.C.; Mills, M.J.; De Graef, M.

2011-01-01

The application of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to crystalline defect analysis has been extended to dislocations. The present contribution highlights the use of STEM on two oppositely signed sets of near-screw dislocations in hcp α-Ti with 6 wt% Al in solid solution. In addition to common systematic row diffraction conditions, other configurations such as zone axis and 3g imaging are explored, and appear to be very useful not only for defect analysis, but for general defect observation. It is demonstrated that conventional TEM rules for diffraction contrast such as g.b and g.R are applicable in STEM. Experimental and computational micrographs of dislocations imaged in the aforementioned modes are presented. -- Highlights: → STEM defect analysis has been extended to include dislocations. → Systematic row, zone axis and 3g diffraction conditions are all found to be useful for general defect observations in STEM mode. → Conventional contrast visibility rules for diffraction contrast are found to remain valid for STEM observations. → Multi-beam dynamical scattering matrix simulations provide excellent agreement with experimental images.

High contrast imaging and flexible photomanipulation for quantitative in vivo multiphoton imaging with polygon scanning microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yongxiao; Montague, Samantha J; Brüstle, Anne; He, Xuefei; Gillespie, Cathy; Gaus, Katharina; Gardiner, Elizabeth E; Lee, Woei Ming

2018-02-28

In this study, we introduce two key improvements that overcome limitations of existing polygon scanning microscopes while maintaining high spatial and temporal imaging resolution over large field of view (FOV). First, we proposed a simple and straightforward means to control the scanning angle of the polygon mirror to carry out photomanipulation without resorting to high speed optical modulators. Second, we devised a flexible data sampling method directly leading to higher image contrast by over 2-fold and digital images with 100 megapixels (10 240 × 10 240) per frame at 0.25 Hz. This generates sub-diffraction limited pixels (60 nm per pixels over the FOV of 512 μm) which increases the degrees of freedom to extract signals computationally. The unique combined optical and digital control recorded fine fluorescence recovery after localized photobleaching (r ~10 μm) within fluorescent giant unilamellar vesicles and micro-vascular dynamics after laser-induced injury during thrombus formation in vivo. These new improvements expand the quantitative biological-imaging capacity of any polygon scanning microscope system. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhancing contrast of magnetic resonance imaging in patients with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DTPA), a recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, in hepatobiliary system of patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: Liver cirrhosis patients that underwent contrast MRI examination at Renai Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan were ...

Magnetization transfer contrast MR imaging of the knee at 0.3 T

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioka, Hiroshi; Onaya, Hiroaki; Niitsu, Mamoru; Anno, Izumi; Itai, Yuji; Nishimura, Hiroshi; Kajiyama, Koji; Masuda, Tomonori; Nakajima, Kotaro.

1994-01-01

It has been reported that magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) images were effective in evaluating the articular cartilage. However, only one in vivo study of the articular cartilage in the knee has been demonstrated at 1.5T. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the optimal off-resonance MTC pulse at 0.3T MR imager and assess its clinical usefulness. Five normal volunteers and eleven patients with suspected knee injuries were investigated using off-resonance sinc, gaussian, constant shaped irradiation pulses. All MTC images revealed higher contrast and contrast-to-noise (C/N) ratio between articular cartilage and external reference (saline) in the normal volunteers' knee than conventional gradient recalled echo images. MTC images with the gaussian or sinc shaped pulse were judged superior to those with constant wave pulse because the former images showed a fewer artifact with lower specific absorption rate than the latter images. The sinc MTC images were performed with the lowest SAR. The gaussian MTC images revealed better contrast and C/N between articular cartilage and joint fluid than the sinc MTC images in patients. 3D MTC images using Guassian pulse were also performed within a clinically tolerable imaging time (13 min 39 sec). Thus, MTC images in the knee at 0.3T using off-resonance pulse may be effective to assess knee injury due to better contrast between articular cartilage and joint fluid. (author)

Avascular necrosis of femoral head: findings of contrast-enhanced MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Yong Moon; Kang, Heung Sik; Kim, Chu Wan; Kim, Hee Joong; Kim, Young Min

1995-01-01

To evaluate the findings and the role of contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in avascular necrosis of femoral head. Sixteen patients with avascular necorsis of femoral head were examined with MRI. T1-weighted and T2-weighted image and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images were obtained. Enhancing characteristics of the necrotic area and synovium were determined. Also a change of the disease extent after enhancement was assessed. Twenty seven avascular necrosis of the femoral head including 11 cases of bilateral lesion were detected. Fifteen cases revealed collapse of the femoral head. The portions of the lesion with low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images showed contrast enhancement in 15 cases. However, the potions with low signal intensities both on T1 and T2-weighted images showed enhancement in one case. There was no significant change of the disease extent after enhancement. Synovium showed enhancement in 18 cases, and joint effusion was detected in 23 cases. Contrast enhanced MR images may be helpful in predicting histopathologic findings of avascular necrosis of the femoral head, but not useful for evaluating the extent of disease

Avascular necrosis of femoral head: findings of contrast-enhanced MR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Yong Moon; Kang, Heung Sik; Kim, Chu Wan; Kim, Hee Joong; Kim, Young Min [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1995-06-15

To evaluate the findings and the role of contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in avascular necrosis of femoral head. Sixteen patients with avascular necorsis of femoral head were examined with MRI. T1-weighted and T2-weighted image and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images were obtained. Enhancing characteristics of the necrotic area and synovium were determined. Also a change of the disease extent after enhancement was assessed. Twenty seven avascular necrosis of the femoral head including 11 cases of bilateral lesion were detected. Fifteen cases revealed collapse of the femoral head. The portions of the lesion with low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images showed contrast enhancement in 15 cases. However, the potions with low signal intensities both on T1 and T2-weighted images showed enhancement in one case. There was no significant change of the disease extent after enhancement. Synovium showed enhancement in 18 cases, and joint effusion was detected in 23 cases. Contrast enhanced MR images may be helpful in predicting histopathologic findings of avascular necrosis of the femoral head, but not useful for evaluating the extent of disease.

Reducing Error Rates for Iris Image using higher Contrast in Normalization process

Science.gov (United States)

Aminu Ghali, Abdulrahman; Jamel, Sapiee; Abubakar Pindar, Zahraddeen; Hasssan Disina, Abdulkadir; Mat Daris, Mustafa

2017-08-01

Iris recognition system is the most secured, and faster means of identification and authentication. However, iris recognition system suffers a setback from blurring, low contrast and illumination due to low quality image which compromises the accuracy of the system. The acceptance or rejection rates of verified user depend solely on the quality of the image. In many cases, iris recognition system with low image contrast could falsely accept or reject user. Therefore this paper adopts Histogram Equalization Technique to address the problem of False Rejection Rate (FRR) and False Acceptance Rate (FAR) by enhancing the contrast of the iris image. A histogram equalization technique enhances the image quality and neutralizes the low contrast of the image at normalization stage. The experimental result shows that Histogram Equalization Technique has reduced FRR and FAR compared to the existing techniques.

Characterization of nanoparticle-based contrast agents for molecular magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shan, Liang; Chopra, Arvind; Leung, Kam; Eckelman, William C.; Menkens, Anne E.

2012-01-01

The development of molecular imaging agents is currently undergoing a dramatic expansion. As of October 2011, ∼4,800 newly developed agents have been synthesized and characterized in vitro and in animal models of human disease. Despite this rapid progress, the transfer of these agents to clinical practice is rather slow. To address this issue, the National Institutes of Health launched the Molecular Imaging and Contrast Agents Database (MICAD) in 2005 to provide freely accessible online information regarding molecular imaging probes and contrast agents for the imaging community. While compiling information regarding imaging agents published in peer-reviewed journals, the MICAD editors have observed that some important information regarding the characterization of a contrast agent is not consistently reported. This makes it difficult for investigators to evaluate and meta-analyze data generated from different studies of imaging agents, especially for the agents based on nanoparticles. This article is intended to serve as a guideline for new investigators for the characterization of preclinical studies performed with nanoparticle-based MRI contrast agents. The common characterization parameters are summarized into seven categories: contrast agent designation, physicochemical properties, magnetic properties, in vitro studies, animal studies, MRI studies, and toxicity. Although no single set of parameters is suitable to define the properties of the various types of contrast agents, it is essential to ensure that these agents meet certain quality control parameters at the preclinical stage, so that they can be used without delay for clinical studies.

High-contrast multimodel nonlinear optical imaging of collagen and elastin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhuo, S M [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Chen, J X [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Luo, T S [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Chen, H L [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Zhao, J J [Department of Skin, Affiliated Xiehe Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001 (China)

2007-07-15

Collagen and elastin, as the major components in the extracellular matrix (ECM), are intrinsic indicators of physiological and pathological states. Here, we have developed a high-contrast multimodel nonlinear optical imaging technique to imaging collagen and elastin by detecting simultaneously two photon-excited fluorescence (TPEF) from elastin and second-harmonic generation (SHG) from collagen. Our results show that this technique can obtain a high-contrast TPEF/SHG image in human dermis and permit direct visualization of collagen and elastin. It was shown that the technique can provide collagen and elastin structural information to determine collagen and elastin fibril orientation and distribution and acquire some morphometric properties. It was found that the in-depth TPEF/SHG imaging and 3-D reconstruction of TPEF/SHG images can extract more collagen and elastin structural and biochemical information. The study results suggest that the high-contrast multimodel nonlinear imaging provides a powerful tool to study ECM intrinsic components and has the potential to provide more important information for the diagnosis of tissue.

High-contrast multimodel nonlinear optical imaging of collagen and elastin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuo, S M; Chen, J X; Luo, T S; Chen, H L; Zhao, J J

2007-01-01

Collagen and elastin, as the major components in the extracellular matrix (ECM), are intrinsic indicators of physiological and pathological states. Here, we have developed a high-contrast multimodel nonlinear optical imaging technique to imaging collagen and elastin by detecting simultaneously two photon-excited fluorescence (TPEF) from elastin and second-harmonic generation (SHG) from collagen. Our results show that this technique can obtain a high-contrast TPEF/SHG image in human dermis and permit direct visualization of collagen and elastin. It was shown that the technique can provide collagen and elastin structural information to determine collagen and elastin fibril orientation and distribution and acquire some morphometric properties. It was found that the in-depth TPEF/SHG imaging and 3-D reconstruction of TPEF/SHG images can extract more collagen and elastin structural and biochemical information. The study results suggest that the high-contrast multimodel nonlinear imaging provides a powerful tool to study ECM intrinsic components and has the potential to provide more important information for the diagnosis of tissue

Development of low-dose photon-counting contrast-enhanced tomosynthesis with spectral imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitzberger, Florian F; Fallenberg, Eva Maria; Lawaczeck, Rüdiger; Hemmendorff, Magnus; Moa, Elin; Danielsson, Mats; Bick, Ulrich; Diekmann, Susanne; Pöllinger, Alexander; Engelken, Florian J; Diekmann, Felix

2011-05-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of low-dose photon-counting tomosynthesis in combination with a contrast agent (contrast material-enhanced tomographic mammography) for the differentiation of breast cancer. All studies were approved by the institutional review board, and all patients provided written informed consent. A phantom model with wells of iodinated contrast material (3 mg of iodine per milliliter) 1, 2, 5, 10, and 15 mm in diameter was assessed. Nine patients with malignant lesions and one with a high-risk lesion (atypical papilloma) were included (all women; mean age, 60.7 years). A multislit photon-counting tomosynthesis system was utilized (spectral imaging) to produce both low- and high-energy tomographic data (below and above the k edge of iodine, respectively) in a single scan, which allowed for dual-energy visualization of iodine. Images were obtained prior to contrast material administration and 120 and 480 seconds after contrast material administration. Four readers independently assessed the images along with conventional mammograms, ultrasonographic images, and magnetic resonance images. Glandular dose was estimated. Contrast agent was visible in the phantom model with simulated spherical tumor diameters as small as 5 mm. The average glandular dose was measured as 0.42 mGy per complete spectral imaging tomosynthesis scan of one breast. Because there were three time points (prior to contrast medium administration and 120 and 480 seconds after contrast medium administration), this resulted in a total dose of 1.26 mGy for the whole procedure in the breast with the abnormality. Seven of 10 cases were categorized as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System score of 4 or higher by all four readers when reviewing spectral images in combination with mammograms. One lesion near the chest wall was not captured on the spectral image because of a positioning problem. The use of contrast-enhanced tomographic mammography has been demonstrated successfully in

Combined mixed approach algorithm for in-line phase-contrast x-ray imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Caro, Liberato; Scattarella, Francesco; Giannini, Cinzia; Tangaro, Sabina; Rigon, Luigi; Longo, Renata; Bellotti, Roberto

2010-01-01

Purpose: In the past decade, phase-contrast imaging (PCI) has been applied to study different kinds of tissues and human body parts, with an increased improvement of the image quality with respect to simple absorption radiography. A technique closely related to PCI is phase-retrieval imaging (PRI). Indeed, PCI is an imaging modality thought to enhance the total contrast of the images through the phase shift introduced by the object (human body part); PRI is a mathematical technique to extract the quantitative phase-shift map from PCI. A new phase-retrieval algorithm for the in-line phase-contrast x-ray imaging is here proposed. Methods: The proposed algorithm is based on a mixed transfer-function and transport-of-intensity approach (MA) and it requires, at most, an initial approximate estimate of the average phase shift introduced by the object as prior knowledge. The accuracy in the initial estimate determines the convergence speed of the algorithm. The proposed algorithm retrieves both the object phase and its complex conjugate in a combined MA (CMA). Results: Although slightly less computationally effective with respect to other mixed-approach algorithms, as two phases have to be retrieved, the results obtained by the CMA on simulated data have shown that the obtained reconstructed phase maps are characterized by particularly low normalized mean square errors. The authors have also tested the CMA on noisy experimental phase-contrast data obtained by a suitable weakly absorbing sample consisting of a grid of submillimetric nylon fibers as well as on a strongly absorbing object made of a 0.03 mm thick lead x-ray resolution star pattern. The CMA has shown a good efficiency in recovering phase information, also in presence of noisy data, characterized by peak-to-peak signal-to-noise ratios down to a few dBs, showing the possibility to enhance with phase radiography the signal-to-noise ratio for features in the submillimetric scale with respect to the attenuation

Diagnostic utility of intravenous contrast for MR imaging in pediatric appendicitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lyons, Gray R.; Renjen, Pooja; Kovanlikaya, Arzu [New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Askin, Gulce; Giambrone, Ashley E. [New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, New York, NY (United States); Beneck, Debra [New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Pathology, New York, NY (United States)

2017-04-15

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly employed as a diagnostic modality for suspected appendicitis in children. However, there is uncertainty as to which MRI sequences are sufficient for safe, timely and accurate diagnosis. Several recent studies have described different MRI protocols, including exams both with and without the use of intravenous contrast. We hypothesized that intravenous contrast may be useful in some patients but could be safely omitted in others. All MRI examinations (n=112) performed at our institution for evaluating appendicitis in children were retrospectively reevaluated. Exams were reread by pediatric radiologists under three conditions: With postcontrast images, Without postcontrast images, and Without/With - selective use of postcontrast sequences only when needed for diagnostic certainty. Samples were scored as positive, negative or equivocal for appendicitis. Findings were compared to pathological or clinical follow-up in the medical record. Without the use of intravenous contrast yielded more equivocal results (12.4%) compared to With contrast (3.4%). By selectively using postcontrast sequences, the Without/With group yielded fewer equivocal results (1.1%) compared to Without while also reducing contrast use 79.8% compared to the With contrast group. No significant differences in conditional sensitivity or conditional specificity were detected among the three groups. MRI diagnosis of acute appendicitis can be performed without contrast for most patients; injection of contrast can be reserved for only those patients with equivocal non-contrast imaging. (orig.)

Study of optimal X-ray exposure conditions in consideration of bone mineral density. Relation between bone mineral density and image contrast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondo, Yuji

2003-01-01

Bone mineral density (BMD) increases through infancy and adolescence, reaching a maximum at 20-30 years of age. Thereafter, BMD gradually decreases with age in both sexes. The image contrast of radiographs of bones varies with the change in BMD owing to the changes in the X-ray absorption of bone. The image contrast of bone generally is higher in the young adult than in the older adult. To examine the relation between BMD and image visibility, we carried out the following experiments. We measured the image contrast of radiographs of a lumbar vertebra phantom in which BMD was equivalent to the average BMD for each developmental period. We examined image visibility at various levels of imaging contrast using the Howlett chart. The results indicated that differences in BMD affect the image contrast of radiographs, and, consequently, image visibility. It was also found that image visibility in the young adult was higher than that in the older adult. The findings showed that, in digital radiography of young adults with high BMD, X-ray exposure can be decreased according the ratio of improvement in image visibility. (author)

Iron oxide contrast media improve MR-imaging of the portal venous system -an experimental study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boeck, J.C.; Knollmann, F.D.; Teltenkoetter, S.; Wlodarcyk, W.; Muehler, A.; Felix, R.

1997-01-01

Purpose: The aim was to demonstrate that intravenous superparamagnetic iron oxide contrast agents improve the delineation of the portal venous system. Material and methods: The portal venous system of 8 minipigs was demonstrated by a FLASH 2-D MRA-sequence. Scans were acquired before and after intravenous administration of 10 and 20 μmol/kg of a superparamagnetic iron oxide contrast agent (SHU 555 A). Signal intensities were measured in the portal vein and hepatic parenchym and contrast-to-noise ratios were calculated. Results: Following a cumulative dose of 10 μmol iron oxide, hepatic parenchymal signal intensity decreased to 67±6%, following 20 μmol to 29±4%, and following 40 μmol to 13±2% of control (p [de

Contrast-Enhanced MR Imaging of Lymph Nodes in Cancer Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Seung Hong; Moon, Woo Kyung

2010-01-01

The accurate identification and characterization of lymph nodes by modern imaging modalities has important therapeutic and prognostic significance for patients with newly diagnosed cancers. The presence of nodal metastases limits the therapeutic options, and it generally indicates a worse prognosis for the patients with nodal metastases. Yet anatomic imaging (CT and MR imaging) is of limited value for depicting small metastatic deposits in normal-sized nodes, and nodal size is a poor criterion when there is no extracapsular extension or focal nodal necrosis to rely on for diagnosing nodal metastases. Thus, there is a need for functional methods that can be reliably used to identify small metastases. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging of lymph nodes is a non-invasive method for the analysis of the lymphatic system after the interstitial or intravenous administration of contrast media. Moreover, some lymphotrophic contrast media have been developed and used for detecting lymph node metastases, and this detection is independent of the nodal size. This article will review the basic principles, the imaging protocols, the interpretation and the accuracies of contrast-enhanced MR imaging of lymph nodes in patients with malignancies, and we also focus on the recent issues cited in the literature. In addition, we discuss the results of several pre-clinical studies and animal studies that were conducted in our institution

A developed unsharp masking method for images contrast enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaafouri, A.; Sayadi, M.; Fnaiech, F.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we propose a developed unsharp masking process for contrast image enhancement. The main idea here is to enhance the dark and bright area in the same way which matches the response of human visual system well. Then in order to reduce the noise effect, a mean weighted high pass filter is used for edge extraction. The proposed method gives satisfactory results for wide range of low contrast images compared with others known approaches.

A feasibility study of X-ray phase-contrast mammographic tomography at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron.

Science.gov (United States)

Nesterets, Yakov I; Gureyev, Timur E; Mayo, Sheridan C; Stevenson, Andrew W; Thompson, Darren; Brown, Jeremy M C; Kitchen, Marcus J; Pavlov, Konstantin M; Lockie, Darren; Brun, Francesco; Tromba, Giuliana

2015-11-01

Results are presented of a recent experiment at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron intended to contribute to the implementation of low-dose high-sensitivity three-dimensional mammographic phase-contrast imaging, initially at synchrotrons and subsequently in hospitals and medical imaging clinics. The effect of such imaging parameters as X-ray energy, source size, detector resolution, sample-to-detector distance, scanning and data processing strategies in the case of propagation-based phase-contrast computed tomography (CT) have been tested, quantified, evaluated and optimized using a plastic phantom simulating relevant breast-tissue characteristics. Analysis of the data collected using a Hamamatsu CMOS Flat Panel Sensor, with a pixel size of 100 µm, revealed the presence of propagation-based phase contrast and demonstrated significant improvement of the quality of phase-contrast CT imaging compared with conventional (absorption-based) CT, at medically acceptable radiation doses.

SU-E-I-82: Improving CT Image Quality for Radiation Therapy Using Iterative Reconstruction Algorithms and Slightly Increasing Imaging Doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noid, G; Chen, G; Tai, A; Li, X

2014-01-01

Purpose: Iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms are developed to improve CT image quality (IQ) by reducing noise without diminishing spatial resolution or contrast. For CT in radiation therapy (RT), slightly increasing imaging dose to improve IQ may be justified if it can substantially enhance structure delineation. The purpose of this study is to investigate and to quantify the IQ enhancement as a result of increasing imaging doses and using IR algorithms. Methods: CT images were acquired for phantoms, built to evaluate IQ metrics including spatial resolution, contrast and noise, with a variety of imaging protocols using a CT scanner (Definition AS Open, Siemens) installed inside a Linac room. Representative patients were scanned once the protocols were optimized. Both phantom and patient scans were reconstructed using the Sinogram Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction (SAFIRE) and the Filtered Back Projection (FBP) methods. IQ metrics of the obtained CTs were compared. Results: IR techniques are demonstrated to preserve spatial resolution as measured by the point spread function and reduce noise in comparison to traditional FBP. Driven by the reduction in noise, the contrast to noise ratio is doubled by adopting the highest SAFIRE strength. As expected, increasing imaging dose reduces noise for both SAFIRE and FBP reconstructions. The contrast to noise increases from 3 to 5 by increasing the dose by a factor of 4. Similar IQ improvement was observed on the CTs for selected patients with pancreas and prostrate cancers. Conclusion: The IR techniques produce a measurable enhancement to CT IQ by reducing the noise. Increasing imaging dose further reduces noise independent of the IR techniques. The improved CT enables more accurate delineation of tumors and/or organs at risk during RT planning and delivery guidance

Colorectal liver metastases: contrast agent diffusion coefficient for quantification of contrast enhancement heterogeneity at MR imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Guang; O'Dell, Craig; Heverhagen, Johannes T; Yang, Xiangyu; Liang, Jiachao; Jacko, Richard V; Sammet, Steffen; Pellas, Theodore; Cole, Patricia; Knopp, Michael V

2008-09-01

To describe and determine the reproducibility of a simplified model to quantitatively measure heterogeneous intralesion contrast agent diffusion in colorectal liver metastases. This HIPAA-compliant retrospective study received institutional review board approval, and written informed consent was obtained from 14 patients (mean age, 61 years +/- 9 [standard deviation]; range, 41-78 years), including 10 men (mean age, 65 years +/- 8; range, 47-78 years) and four women (mean age, 54 years +/- 9; range, 41-59 years), with colorectal liver metastases. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed twice (first baseline MR image [B(1)] and second baseline MR image [B(2)]) in a single target lesion prior to therapy. Dynamic contrast material-enhanced MR imaging was performed by using a saturation-recovery fast gradient-echo sequence. A simplified contrast agent diffusion model was proposed, and a contrast agent diffusion coefficient (CDC) was calculated. The reproducibility of the CDC measurement was evaluated by using the Bland-Altman plot and a linear regression model. The mean CDC was 0.22 mm(2)/sec (range, 0.01-0.73 mm(2)/sec) on B(1) and 0.24 mm(2)/sec (range, 0.01-0.71 mm(2)/sec) on B(2), with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.91 (P < .0001). Bland-Altman plot showed good agreement, with a mean difference in measurement pairs of 0.017 mm(2)/sec +/- 0.096. The slope from the linear regression model was 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.63, 1.15) and the intercept was 0.01 (95% confidence interval: -0.08, 0.09). The CDC enables a quantitative description of contrast enhancement heterogeneity in lesions. Given the high reproducibility of the CDC metric, CDC appears promising for further qualification as an imaging biomarker of change measurement in response assessment. http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/cgi/content/full/248/3/901/DC1. RSNA, 2008

Frequency Selective Non-Linear Blending to Improve Image Quality in Liver CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Bongers, M N; Bier, G; Kloth, C; Schabel, C; Fritz, J; Nikolaou, K; Horger, M

2016-12-01

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a new frequency selective non-linear blending (NLB) algorithm on the contrast resolution of liver CT with low intravascular concentration of iodine contrast. Materials and Methods: Our local ethics committee approved this retrospective study. The informed consent requirement was waived. CT exams of 25 patients (60 % female, mean age: 65 ± 16 years of age) with late phase CT scans of the liver were included as a model for poor intrahepatic vascular contrast enhancement. Optimal post-processing settings to enhance the contrast of hepatic vessels were determined. Outcome variables included signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) of hepatic vessels and SNR of liver parenchyma of standard and post-processed images. Image quality was quantified by two independent readers using Likert scales. Results: The post-processing settings for the visualization of hepatic vasculature were optimal at a center of 115HU, delta of 25HU, and slope of 5. Image noise was statistically indifferent between standard and post-processed images. The CNR between the hepatic vasculature (HV) and liver parenchyma could be significantly increased for liver veins (CNR Standard 1.62 ± 1.10, CNR NLB 3.6 ± 2.94, p = 0.0002) and portal veins (CNR Standard 1.31 ± 0.85, CNR NLB 2.42 ± 3.03, p = 0.046). The SNR of liver parenchyma was significantly higher on post-processed images (SNR NLB 11.26 ± 3.16, SNR Standard 8.85 ± 2.27, p = 0.008). The overall image quality and depiction of HV were significantly higher on post-processed images (NLB DHV : 4 [3 - 4.75], S tandardDHV : 2 [1.3 - 2.5], p = algorithm increases the contrast resolution of liver CT and can improve the visibility of the hepatic vasculature in the setting of a low contrast ratio between vessels and the parenchyma. Key Points: • Using the new frequency selective non-linear blending algorithm is feasible in contrast

Segmentation of the Clustered Cells with Optimized Boundary Detection in Negative Phase Contrast Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuliang; Zhang, Zaicheng; Wang, Huimin; Bi, Shusheng

2015-01-01

Cell image segmentation plays a central role in numerous biology studies and clinical applications. As a result, the development of cell image segmentation algorithms with high robustness and accuracy is attracting more and more attention. In this study, an automated cell image segmentation algorithm is developed to get improved cell image segmentation with respect to cell boundary detection and segmentation of the clustered cells for all cells in the field of view in negative phase contrast images. A new method which combines the thresholding method and edge based active contour method was proposed to optimize cell boundary detection. In order to segment clustered cells, the geographic peaks of cell light intensity were utilized to detect numbers and locations of the clustered cells. In this paper, the working principles of the algorithms are described. The influence of parameters in cell boundary detection and the selection of the threshold value on the final segmentation results are investigated. At last, the proposed algorithm is applied to the negative phase contrast images from different experiments. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated. Results show that the proposed method can achieve optimized cell boundary detection and highly accurate segmentation for clustered cells.

Dual-energy CT in the assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes: Comparative study of virtual non-contrast and true non-contrast images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Seon Young; Kim, Yoo Kyung; Cho, Hyun Hae; Choi, Mi Joo; Shim, Sung Shine; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Baek, Seung Yon

2013-01-01

To evaluate the reliability of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images reconstructed from contrast-enhanced, dual-energy scans compared with true non-contrast (TNC) images in the assessment of high CT attenuation or calcification of mediastinal lymph nodes. A total of 112 mediastinal nodes from 45 patients who underwent non-contrast and dual-energy contrast-enhanced scans were analyzed. Node attenuation in TNC and VNC images was compared both objectively, using computed tomography (CT) attenuation, and subjectively, via visual scoring (0, attenuation ≤ the aorta; 1, > the aorta; 2, calcification). The relationship among attenuation difference between TNC and VNC images, CT attenuation in TNC images, and net contrast enhancement (NCE) was analyzed. CT attenuation in TNC and VNC images showed moderate agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.612). The mean absolute difference was 7.8 ± 7.6 Hounsfield unit (HU) (range, 0-36 HU), and the absolute difference was equal to or less than 10 HU in 65.2% of cases (73/112). Visual scores in TNC and VNC images showed fair agreement (κ value, 0.335). Five of 16 nodes (31.3%) which showed score 1 (n = 15) or 2 (n = 1) in TNC images demonstrated score 1 in VNC images. The TNC-VNC attenuation difference showed a moderate positive correlation with CT attenuation in TNC images (partial correlation coefficient [PCC] adjusted by NCE: 0.455) and a weak negative correlation with NCE (PCC adjusted by CT attenuation in TNC: -0.245). VNC images may be useful in the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes by providing additional information of high CT attenuation of nodes, although it is underestimated compared with TNC images.

Dual-energy CT in the assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes: Comparative study of virtual non-contrast and true non-contrast images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Seon Young; Kim, Yoo Kyung; Cho, Hyun Hae; Choi, Mi Joo; Shim, Sung Shine; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Baek, Seung Yon [School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seou (Korea, Republic of)

2013-06-15

To evaluate the reliability of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images reconstructed from contrast-enhanced, dual-energy scans compared with true non-contrast (TNC) images in the assessment of high CT attenuation or calcification of mediastinal lymph nodes. A total of 112 mediastinal nodes from 45 patients who underwent non-contrast and dual-energy contrast-enhanced scans were analyzed. Node attenuation in TNC and VNC images was compared both objectively, using computed tomography (CT) attenuation, and subjectively, via visual scoring (0, attenuation ≤ the aorta; 1, > the aorta; 2, calcification). The relationship among attenuation difference between TNC and VNC images, CT attenuation in TNC images, and net contrast enhancement (NCE) was analyzed. CT attenuation in TNC and VNC images showed moderate agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.612). The mean absolute difference was 7.8 ± 7.6 Hounsfield unit (HU) (range, 0-36 HU), and the absolute difference was equal to or less than 10 HU in 65.2% of cases (73/112). Visual scores in TNC and VNC images showed fair agreement (κ value, 0.335). Five of 16 nodes (31.3%) which showed score 1 (n = 15) or 2 (n = 1) in TNC images demonstrated score 1 in VNC images. The TNC-VNC attenuation difference showed a moderate positive correlation with CT attenuation in TNC images (partial correlation coefficient [PCC] adjusted by NCE: 0.455) and a weak negative correlation with NCE (PCC adjusted by CT attenuation in TNC: -0.245). VNC images may be useful in the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes by providing additional information of high CT attenuation of nodes, although it is underestimated compared with TNC images.

Dual-energy CT in the assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes: comparative study of virtual non-contrast and true non-contrast images.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Seon Young; Kim, Yookyung; Cho, Hyun Hae; Choi, Mi Joo; Shim, Sung Shine; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Baek, Seung Yon

2013-01-01

To evaluate the reliability of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images reconstructed from contrast-enhanced, dual-energy scans compared with true non-contrast (TNC) images in the assessment of high CT attenuation or calcification of mediastinal lymph nodes. A total of 112 mediastinal nodes from 45 patients who underwent non-contrast and dual-energy contrast-enhanced scans were analyzed. Node attenuation in TNC and VNC images was compared both objectively, using computed tomography (CT) attenuation, and subjectively, via visual scoring (0, attenuation ≤ the aorta; 1, > the aorta; 2, calcification). The relationship among attenuation difference between TNC and VNC images, CT attenuation in TNC images, and net contrast enhancement (NCE) was analyzed. CT attenuation in TNC and VNC images showed moderate agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.612). The mean absolute difference was 7.8 ± 7.6 Hounsfield unit (HU) (range, 0-36 HU), and the absolute difference was equal to or less than 10 HU in 65.2% of cases (73/112). Visual scores in TNC and VNC images showed fair agreement (κ value, 0.335). Five of 16 nodes (31.3%) which showed score 1 (n = 15) or 2 (n = 1) in TNC images demonstrated score 1 in VNC images. The TNC-VNC attenuation difference showed a moderate positive correlation with CT attenuation in TNC images (partial correlation coefficient [PCC] adjusted by NCE: 0.455) and a weak negative correlation with NCE (PCC adjusted by CT attenuation in TNC: -0.245). VNC images may be useful in the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes by providing additional information of high CT attenuation of nodes, although it is underestimated compared with TNC images.

Tissue Necrosis Monitoring for HIFU Ablation with T1 Contrast MRI Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, San-Chao; Yao, Ching; Kuo, Ih-Yuan; Tsai, Wei-Cheng; Chang, Hsu

2011-09-01

In MR-guided HIFU ablation, MTC (Magnetization Transfer Contrast) or perfusion imaging is usually used after ablation to evaluate the ablated area based on the thermally induced necrosis contrast. In our MR-guided HIFU ablation study, a T1 contrast MRI scan sequence has been used to distinguish between necrotic and non-necrotic tissue. The ablation of porcine meat in-vitro and in-vivo pig leg muscle show that the necrotic area of T1 contrast MRI image coincides with the photographs of sliced specimen. The sequence is considerably easier to apply than MTC or perfusion imaging, while giving good necrosis contrast. In addition, no injection of contrast agent is needed, allowing multiple scans to be applied throughout the entire ablation procedure.

Contrast improvement of continuous wave diffuse optical tomography reconstruction by hybrid approach using least square and genetic algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Patra, Rusha; Dutta, Pranab K.

2015-07-01

Reconstruction of the absorption coefficient of tissue with good contrast is of key importance in functional diffuse optical imaging. A hybrid approach using model-based iterative image reconstruction and a genetic algorithm is proposed to enhance the contrast of the reconstructed image. The proposed method yields an observed contrast of 98.4%, mean square error of 0.638×10-3, and object centroid error of (0.001 to 0.22) mm. Experimental validation of the proposed method has also been provided with tissue-like phantoms which shows a significant improvement in image quality and thus establishes the potential of the method for functional diffuse optical tomography reconstruction with continuous wave setup. A case study of finger joint imaging is illustrated as well to show the prospect of the proposed method in clinical diagnosis. The method can also be applied to the concentration measurement of a region of interest in a turbid medium.

Imaging vascular function for early stage clinical trials using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leach, M.O.; Orton, M. [Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Cancer Research UK and EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre, Sutton, Surrey (United Kingdom); Morgan, B. [Univ. of Leicester, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, Leicester (United Kingdom); Tofts, P.S. [Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Univ. of Sussex, Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, Sussex (United Kingdom); Buckley, D.L. [University of Leeds, Division of Medical Physics, Leeds (United Kingdom); Huang, W. [Oregon Health and Science Univ., Advanced Imaging Research Centre, Portland, OR (United States); Horsfield, M.A. [Medical Physics Section, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Dept. of Cardiovascular Sciences, Leicester (United Kingdom); Chenevert, T.L. [Univ. of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Collins, D.J. [Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cancer Research UK and EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre, Sutton, Surrey (United Kingdom); Jackson, A. [Univ. of Manchester, Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre, Withington, Manchester, M20 3LJ (United Kingdom); Lomas, D. [Univ. of Cambridge, Dept. of Radiology, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Whitcher, B. [Unit 2 Greenways Business Park, Mango Solutions, Chippenham (United Kingdom); Clarke, L. [Cancer Imaging Program, Imaging Technology Development Branch, Rockville, MD (United States); Plummer, R. [Univ. of Newcastle Upon Tyne, The Medical School, Medical Oncology, Northern Inst. for Cancer Research, Newcastle Upon Tyne (United Kingdom); Judson, I. [Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey (United Kingdom); Jones, R. [Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow (United Kingdom); Alonzi, R. [Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood (United Kingdom); Brunner, T. [Gray Inst. for Radiation, Oncology and Biology, Oxford (United Kingdom); Koh, D.M. [Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Diagnostic Radiology, Sutton, Surrey (United Kingdom)] [and others

2012-07-15

Many therapeutic approaches to cancer affect the tumour vasculature, either indirectly or as a direct target. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) has become an important means of investigating this action, both pre-clinically and in early stage clinical trials. For such trials, it is essential that the measurement process (i.e. image acquisition and analysis) can be performed effectively and with consistency among contributing centres. As the technique continues to develop in order to provide potential improvements in sensitivity and physiological relevance, there is considerable scope for between-centre variation in techniques. A workshop was convened by the Imaging Committee of the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC) to review the current status of DCE-MRI and to provide recommendations on how the technique can best be used for early stage trials. This review and the consequent recommendations are summarised here. (orig.)

Carbon Nano-Allotrope/Magnetic Nanoparticle Hybrid Nanomaterials as T2 Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunxiang Gao

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI is the most powerful tool for deep penetration and high-quality 3D imaging of tissues with anatomical details. However, the sensitivity of the MRI technique is not as good as that of the radioactive or optical imaging methods. Carbon-based nanomaterials have attracted significant attention in biomaterial research in recent decades due to their unique physical properties, versatile functionalization chemistry, as well as excellent biological compatibility. Researchers have employed various carbon nano-allotropes to develop hybrid MRI contrast agents for improved sensitivity. This review summarizes the new research progresses in carbon-based hybrid MRI contrast agents, especially those reported in the past five years. The review will only focus on T2-weighted MRI agents and will be categorized by the different carbon allotrope types and magnetic components. Considering the strong trend in recent bio-nanotechnology research towards multifunctional diagnosis and therapy, carbon-based MRI contrast agents integrated with other imaging modalities or therapeutic functions are also covered.

Use of contrast media in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in horses: Techniques, adverse events and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, B B; Goodrich, L R; Barrett, M F; Grinstaff, M W; Kawcak, C E

2017-07-01

The use of contrast media in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasing in horses. These contrast-enhanced imaging techniques provide improved tissue delineation and evaluation, thereby expanding diagnostic capabilities. While generally considered safe, not all contrast media exhibit the same safety profiles. The safety of contrast media use and descriptions of adverse events occurring in horses are sparsely reported. This review summarises the reported evidence of contrast media use and adverse events that occur in horses, with added contribution from other veterinary species and studies in man for comparison. This comprehensive data set empowers equine clinicians to develop use and monitoring strategies when working with contrast media. Finally, it summarises the current state-of-the-art and highlights the potential applications of contrast-enhanced CT and MRI for assessment of diseased or injured equine tissues, as well as (patho)physiological processes. © 2017 EVJ Ltd.

Images of paraffin monolayer crystals with perfect contrast: minimization of beam-induced specimen motion

Science.gov (United States)

Glaeser, R.M.; McMullan, G.; Faruqi, A.R.; Henderson, R.

2013-01-01

Quantitative analysis of electron microscope images of organic and biological two-dimensional crystals has previously shown that the absolute contrast reached only a fraction of that expected theoretically from the electron diffraction amplitudes. The accepted explanation for this is that irradiation of the specimen causes beam-induced charging or movement, which in turn causes blurring of the image due to image or specimen movement. In this paper, we used three different approaches to try to overcome this image-blurring problem for monolayer crystals of paraffin. Our first approach was to use an extreme form of spotscan imaging, in which a single image was assembled on film by the successive illumination of up to 50,000 spots each of diameter around 7nm. The second approach was to use the Medipix II detector with its zero-noise readout to assemble a time-sliced series of images of the same area in which each frame from a movie with up to 400 frames had an exposure of only 500 electrons. In the third approach, we simply used a much thicker carbon support film to increase the physical strength and conductivity of the support. Surprisingly, the first two methods involving dose fractionation respectively in space or time produced only partial improvements in contrast whereas the third approach produced many virtually perfect images, in which the absolute contrast predicted from the electron diffraction amplitudes was observed in the images. We conclude that it is possible to obtain consistently almost perfect images of beam-sensitive specimens if they are attached to an appropriately strong and conductive support, but great care is needed in practice and the problem of how best to image ice-embedded biological structures in the absence of a strong, conductive support film requires more work. PMID:21185452

T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T1-weighted fast spin-echo contrast-enhanced imaging: a comparison in 20 patients with brain lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Saeed, O.; Athyal, R. P.; Ismail, M.; Rudwan, M.; Khafajee, S.

2009-01-01

Full text: Tl-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence is a relatively new pulse sequence for intracranial MR imaging. This study was performed to compare the image quality of Tl-weighted FLAIR with the Tl-weighted FSE sequence. Twenty patients with brain lesions underwent Tl-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE) and Tl-weighted FLAIR during the same imaging session. Four quantitative and three qualitative criteria were used to compare the two sequences after contrast. Two of four quantitative criteria pertained to lesion characteristics: lesion to white matter (WM) contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and lesion to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) CNR, and two related to signals from normal tissue: grey matter to WM CNR and WM to CSF CNR. The three qualitative criteria were conspicuousness of the lesion, the presence of image artefacts and the overall image contrast. Both Tl-weighted FSE and FLAIR images were effective in demonstrating lesions. Image contrast was superior in Tl-weighted FLAIR images with significantly improved grey matter-WM CNRs and CSF-WM CNRs. The overall image contrast was judged to be superior on Tl-weighted FLAIR images compared with Tl-weighted FSE images by all neuroradiologists. Two of three reviewers considered that the FLAIR images had slightly increased imaging artefacts that, however, did not interfere with image interpretation. Tl-weighted FLAIR imaging provides improved lesion-to-background and grey to WM contrast-to-noise ratios. Superior conspicuity of lesions and overall image contrast is obtained in comparable acquisition times. These indicate an important role for Tl-weighted FLAIR in intracranial imaging and highlight its advantage over the more widely practiced Tl-weighted FSE sequence

Experimental characterization of a direct conversion amorphous selenium detector with thicker conversion layer for dual-energy contrast-enhanced breast imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Scaduto, David A; Tousignant, Olivier; Zhao, Wei

2017-08-01

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced imaging is being investigated as a tool to identify and localize angiogenesis in the breast, a possible indicator of malignant tumors. This imaging technique requires that x-ray images are acquired at energies above the k-shell binding energy of an appropriate radiocontrast agent. Iodinated contrast agents are commonly used for vascular imaging, and require x-ray energies greater than 33 keV. Conventional direct conversion amorphous selenium (a-Se) flat-panel imagers for digital mammography show suboptimal absorption efficiencies at these higher energies. We use spatial-frequency domain image quality metrics to evaluate the performance of a prototype direct conversion flat-panel imager with a thicker a-Se layer, specifically fabricated for dual-energy contrast-enhanced breast imaging. Imaging performance was evaluated in a prototype digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system. The spatial resolution, noise characteristics, detective quantum efficiency, and temporal performance of the detector were evaluated for dual-energy imaging for both conventional full-field digital mammography (FFDM) and DBT. The zero-frequency detective quantum efficiency of the prototype detector is improved by approximately 20% over the conventional detector for higher energy beams required for imaging with iodinated contrast agents. The effect of oblique entry of x-rays on spatial resolution does increase with increasing photoconductor thickness, specifically for the most oblique views of a DBT scan. Degradation of spatial resolution due to focal spot motion was also observed. Temporal performance was found to be comparable to conventional mammographic detectors. Increasing the a-Se thickness in direct conversion flat-panel imagers results in better performance for dual-energy contrast-enhanced breast imaging. The reduction in spatial resolution due to oblique entry of x-rays is appreciable in the most extreme clinically relevant cases, but may not profoundly

Magnetic resonance imaging of osteosarcoma using a bis(alendronate)-based bone-targeted contrast agent.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Pingju; Sheng, Fugeng; Jin, Yiguang; Tong, Li; Du, Lina; Zhang, Lei; Tian, Ning; Li, Gongjie

2016-12-01

Magnetic resonance (MR) is currently used for diagnosis of osteosarcoma but not well even though contrast agents are administered. Here, we report a novel bone-targeted MR imaging contrast agent, Gd 2 -diethylenetriaminepentaacetate-bis(alendronate) (Gd 2 -DTPA-BA) for the diagnosis of osteosarcoma. It is the conjugate of a bone cell-seeking molecule (i.e., alendronate) and an MR imaging contrast agent (i.e., Gd-DTPA). Its physicochemical parameters were measured, including pK a , complex constant, and T 1 relaxivity. Its bone cell-seeking ability was evaluated by measuring its adsorption on hydroxyapatite. Hemolysis was investigated. MR imaging and biodistribution of Gd 2 -DTPA-BA and Gd-DTPA were studied on healthy and osteosarcoma-bearing nude mice. Gd 2 -DTPA-BA showed high adsorption on hydroxyapatite, the high MR relaxivity (r 1 ) of 7.613mM -1 s -1 (2.6 folds of Gd-DTPA), and no hemolysis. The MR contrast effect of Gd 2 -DTPA-BA was much higher than that of Gd-DTPA after intravenous injection to the mice. More importantly, the MR imaging of osteosarcoma was significantly improved by Gd 2 -DTPA-BA. The signal intensity of Gd 2 -DTPA-BA reached 120.3% at 50min, equal to three folds of Gd-DTPA. The bone targeting index (bone/blood) of Gd 2 -DTPA-BA in the osteosarcoma-bearing mice was very high to 130 at 180min. Furthermore, the contrast enhancement could also be found in the lung due to metastasis of osteosarcoma. Gd 2 -DTPA-BA plays a promising role in the diagnoses of osteosacomas, including the primary bone tumors and metastases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

In vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Targeted Contrast Agent

Science.gov (United States)

2016-11-01

AD______________ AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0242 TITLE: In Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Targeted Contrast Agent PRINCIPAL...TITLE AND SUBTITLE In vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using T argeted Contrast Agent 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0242 5b. GRANT...diagnose prostate cancer based on the near-infrared optical absorption of either endogenous tissue constituents or exogenous contrast agents . Although

Contrast-enhanced NMR imaging: animal studies using gadolinium-DTPA complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brasch, R.C.; Weinmann, H.J.; Wesbey, G.E.

1984-01-01

Gadolinium (Gd)-DTPA complex was assessed as a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) contrast-enhancing agent by experimentally imaging normal and diseased animals. After intravenous injection, Gd-DTPA, a strongly paramagnetic complex by virtue of unpaired electrons, was rapidly excreted into the urine of rats, producing an easily observable contrast enhancement on NMR images in kidney parenchyma and urine. Sterile soft-tissue abscesses demonstrated an obvious rim pattern of enhancement. A focus of radiation-induced brain damage in a canine model was only faintly detectable on spin-echo NMR images before contrast administration; after 0.5 mmol/kg Gd-DTPA administration, the lesion intensity increased from 3867 to 5590. In comparison, the normal brain with an intact blood-brain barrier remained unchanged in NMR characterization. Gd-DTPA is a promising new NMR contrast enhancer for the clinical assessment of renal function, of inflammatory lesions, and of focal disruption of the blood-brain barrier

Photoelectron and x-ray holography by contrast: enhancing image quality and dimensionality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fadley, C.S.; Zhao, L. [Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA (United States); Hove, M.A. van [Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA (United States); Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Kaduwela, A.; Marchesini, S. [Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Omori, S. [Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Sony Corporation Semiconductor Network Company, Asahi-cho, Atsugi, Kanagawa (Japan)

2001-11-26

Three forms of electron or x-ray holography 'by contrast' are discussed: they all exploit small changes in diffraction conditions to improve image quality and/or extract additional information. Spin-polarized photoelectron holography subtracts spin-down from spin-up holograms so as to image the relative orientations of atomic magnetic moments around an emitter atom. Differential photoelectron holography subtracts holograms taken at slightly different energies so as to overcome the forward-scattering problem that normally degrades the three-dimensional imaging of atoms, particularly for emitter atoms that are part of a bulk substrate environment. Resonant x-ray fluorescence holography also subtracts holograms at slightly different energies, these being chosen above and below an absorption edge of a constituent atom, thus allowing the selective imaging of that type of atom, or what has been referred to as imaging 'in true colour'. (author)

Facial nerve palsy: Evaluation by contrast-enhanced MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinoshita, T.; Ishii, K.; Okitsu, T.; Okudera, T.; Ogawa, T.

2001-01-01

AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in patients with peripheral facial nerve palsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging was performed in 147 patients with facial nerve palsy, using a 1.0 T unit. All of 147 patients were evaluated by contrast-enhanced MR imaging and the pattern of enhancement was compared with that in 300 control subjects evaluated for suspected acoustic neurinoma. RESULTS: The intrameatal and labyrinthine segments of the normal facial nerve did not show enhancement, whereas enhancement of the distal intrameatal segment and the labyrinthine segment was respectively found in 67% and 43% of patients with Bell's palsy. The geniculate ganglion or the tympanic-mastoid segment was enhanced in 21% of normal controls versus 91% of patients with Bell's palsy. Abnormal enhancement of the non-paralyzed facial nerve was found in a patient with bilateral temporal bone fracture. CONCLUSION: Enhancement of the distal intrameatal and labyrinthine segments is specific for facial nerve palsy. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging can reveal inflammatory facial nerve lesions and traumatic nerve injury, including clinically silent damage in trauma. Kinoshita T. et al. (2001)

Facial nerve palsy: Evaluation by contrast-enhanced MR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kinoshita, T.; Ishii, K.; Okitsu, T.; Okudera, T.; Ogawa, T

2001-11-01

AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in patients with peripheral facial nerve palsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging was performed in 147 patients with facial nerve palsy, using a 1.0 T unit. All of 147 patients were evaluated by contrast-enhanced MR imaging and the pattern of enhancement was compared with that in 300 control subjects evaluated for suspected acoustic neurinoma. RESULTS: The intrameatal and labyrinthine segments of the normal facial nerve did not show enhancement, whereas enhancement of the distal intrameatal segment and the labyrinthine segment was respectively found in 67% and 43% of patients with Bell's palsy. The geniculate ganglion or the tympanic-mastoid segment was enhanced in 21% of normal controls versus 91% of patients with Bell's palsy. Abnormal enhancement of the non-paralyzed facial nerve was found in a patient with bilateral temporal bone fracture. CONCLUSION: Enhancement of the distal intrameatal and labyrinthine segments is specific for facial nerve palsy. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging can reveal inflammatory facial nerve lesions and traumatic nerve injury, including clinically silent damage in trauma. Kinoshita T. et al. (2001)

MR imaging of the early rheumatoid arthritis: usefulness of contrast enhanced fat suppressed SPGR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sun Mi; Joo, Kyung Bin; Kim, Seong Tae; Hahm, Chang Kok [College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1995-06-15

To evaluate value of post-contrast 3-Dimensional fat suppressed Spoiled GRASS (FS SPGR) in detecting subtle bony erosion and tenosynovitis of hands and wrists due to early rheumatoid arthritis. Fourteen MR imagings of the hands and wrists were performed in 7 early rheumatoid arthritis without any abnormalities in plain radiography and in 7 healthy volunteers. All subjects underwent MR sequence of coronal 3D FS SPGR with and without contrast enhancement in 1.5T MR unit. We evaluated the number of the bony erosion and tenosynovitis respectively in pre-and post-contrast FS SPGR images. The abnormal enhancing areas were not demonstrated in 7 healthy volunteers. Seven patients had 25 bony erosions in pre-contrast FS SPGR and 52 bony erosions with tenosynovitis (n = 10) in post-contrast FS SPGR. Enhancing joint spaces were shown in 8 cases. Post-contrast FS SPGR was better than pre-contrast FS SPGR in the evaluation of early rheumatoid arthritis and is valuable as a baseline study.

MR imaging of the early rheumatoid arthritis: usefulness of contrast enhanced fat suppressed SPGR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sun Mi; Joo, Kyung Bin; Kim, Seong Tae; Hahm, Chang Kok

1995-01-01

To evaluate value of post-contrast 3-Dimensional fat suppressed Spoiled GRASS (FS SPGR) in detecting subtle bony erosion and tenosynovitis of hands and wrists due to early rheumatoid arthritis. Fourteen MR imagings of the hands and wrists were performed in 7 early rheumatoid arthritis without any abnormalities in plain radiography and in 7 healthy volunteers. All subjects underwent MR sequence of coronal 3D FS SPGR with and without contrast enhancement in 1.5T MR unit. We evaluated the number of the bony erosion and tenosynovitis respectively in pre-and post-contrast FS SPGR images. The abnormal enhancing areas were not demonstrated in 7 healthy volunteers. Seven patients had 25 bony erosions in pre-contrast FS SPGR and 52 bony erosions with tenosynovitis (n = 10) in post-contrast FS SPGR. Enhancing joint spaces were shown in 8 cases. Post-contrast FS SPGR was better than pre-contrast FS SPGR in the evaluation of early rheumatoid arthritis and is valuable as a baseline study

Bowtie filter and water calibration in the improvement of cone beam CT image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Minghui; Dai Jianrong; Zhang Ke

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the improvement of cone beam CT (CBCT) image quality by using bewtie filter (F 1 ) and water calibration. Methods: First the multi-level gain calibration of the detector panel with the method of Cal 2 calibration was performed, and the CT images of CATPHAN503 with F 0 and bowtie filter were collected, respectively. Then the detector panel using water calibration kit was calibrated, and images were acquired again. Finally, the change of image quality after using F 1 and (or) water calibration method was observed. The observed indexes included low contrast visibility, spatial uniformity, ring artifact, spatial resolution and geometric accuracy. Results: Comparing with the traditional combination of F 0 filter and Cal 2 calibration, the combination of bowtie filter F 1 and water calibration improves low contrast visibility by 13.71%, and spatial uniformity by 54. 42%. Water calibration removes ring artifacts effectively. However, none of them improves spatial resolution and geometric accuracy. Conclusions: The combination of F 1 and water calibration improves CBCT image quality effectively. This improvement is aid to the registration of CBCT images and localization images. (authors)

Monte Carlo simulation of grating-based neutron phase contrast imaging at CPHS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Ran; Chen Zhiqiang; Huang Zhifeng; Xiao Yongshun; Wang Xuewu; Wie Jie; Loong, C.-K.

2011-01-01

Since the launching of the Compact Pulsed Hadron Source (CPHS) project of Tsinghua University in 2009, works have begun on the design and engineering of an imaging/radiography instrument for the neutron source provided by CPHS. The instrument will perform basic tasks such as transmission imaging and computerized tomography. Additionally, we include in the design the utilization of coded-aperture and grating-based phase contrast methodology, as well as the options of prompt gamma-ray analysis and neutron-energy selective imaging. Previously, we had implemented the hardware and data-analysis software for grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging. Here, we investigate Geant4-based Monte Carlo simulations of neutron refraction phenomena and then model the grating-based neutron phase contrast imaging system according to the classic-optics-based method. The simulated experimental results of the retrieving phase shift gradient information by five-step phase-stepping approach indicate the feasibility of grating-based neutron phase contrast imaging as an option for the cold neutron imaging instrument at the CPHS.

Low contrast detectability and spatial resolution with model-based iterative reconstructions of MDCT images: a phantom and cadaveric study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Millon, Domitille; Coche, Emmanuel E. [Universite Catholique de Louvain, Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Brussels (Belgium); Vlassenbroek, Alain [Philips Healthcare, Brussels (Belgium); Maanen, Aline G. van; Cambier, Samantha E. [Universite Catholique de Louvain, Statistics Unit, King Albert II Cancer Institute, Brussels (Belgium)

2017-03-15

To compare image quality [low contrast (LC) detectability, noise, contrast-to-noise (CNR) and spatial resolution (SR)] of MDCT images reconstructed with an iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithm and a filtered back projection (FBP) algorithm. The experimental study was performed on a 256-slice MDCT. LC detectability, noise, CNR and SR were measured on a Catphan phantom scanned with decreasing doses (48.8 down to 0.7 mGy) and parameters typical of a chest CT examination. Images were reconstructed with FBP and a model-based IR algorithm. Additionally, human chest cadavers were scanned and reconstructed using the same technical parameters. Images were analyzed to illustrate the phantom results. LC detectability and noise were statistically significantly different between the techniques, supporting model-based IR algorithm (p < 0.0001). At low doses, the noise in FBP images only enabled SR measurements of high contrast objects. The superior CNR of model-based IR algorithm enabled lower dose measurements, which showed that SR was dose and contrast dependent. Cadaver images reconstructed with model-based IR illustrated that visibility and delineation of anatomical structure edges could be deteriorated at low doses. Model-based IR improved LC detectability and enabled dose reduction. At low dose, SR became dose and contrast dependent. (orig.)

Noise and contrast detection in computed tomography images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faulkner, K.; Moores, B.M.

1984-01-01

A discrete representation of the reconstruction process is used in an analysis of noise in computed tomography (CT) images. This model is consistent with the method of data collection in actual machines. An expression is derived which predicts the variance on the measured linear attenuation coefficient of a single pixel in an image. The dependence of the variance on various CT scanner design parameters such as pixel size, slice width, scan time, number of detectors, etc., is then described. The variation of noise with sampling area is theoretically explained. These predictions are in good agreement with a set of experimental measurements made on a range of CT scanners. The equivalent sampling aperture of the CT process is determined and the effect of the reconstruction filter on the variance of the linear attenuation coefficient is also noted, in particular, the choice and its consequences for reconstructed images and noise behaviour. The theory has been extended to include contrast detail behaviour, and these predictions compare favourably with experimental measurements. The theory predicts that image smoothing will have little effect on the contrast-detail detectability behaviour of reconstructed images. (author)

Generalized Phase Contrast

CERN Document Server

Glückstad, Jesper

2009-01-01

Generalized Phase Contrast elevates the phase contrast technique not only to improve phase imaging but also to cross over and interface with diverse and seemingly disparate fields of contemporary optics and photonics. This book presents a comprehensive introduction to the Generalized Phase Contrast (GPC) method including an overview of the range of current and potential applications of GPC in wavefront sensing and phase imaging, structured laser illumination and image projection, optical trapping and manipulation, and optical encryption and decryption. The GPC method goes further than the restrictive assumptions of conventional Zernike phase contrast analysis and achieves an expanded range of validity beyond weak phase perturbations. The generalized analysis yields design criteria for tuning experimental parameters to achieve optimal performance in terms of accuracy, fidelity and light efficiency. Optimization can address practical issues, such as finding an optimal spatial filter for the chosen application, ...

Carotid artery dissection on non-contrast CT: Does color improve the diagnostic confidence?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saba, Luca, E-mail: lucasaba@tiscali.it [Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), di Cagliari – Polo di Monserrato, s.s. 554 Monserrato, Cagliari 09045 (Italy); Argiolas, Giovanni Maria [Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Brotzu (A.O.B.), di Cagliari, Cagliari 09100 (Italy); Raz, Eytan [Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York (United States); Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome (Italy); Sannia, Stefano [Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), di Cagliari – Polo di Monserrato, s.s. 554 Monserrato, Cagliari 09045 (Italy); Suri, Jasjit S. [Diagnostic and Monitoring Division, AtheroPointTM LLC, Roseville, CA (United States); Electrical Engineering Department (Aff.), Idaho State University, ID (United States); Siotto, Paolo [Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Brotzu (A.O.B.), di Cagliari, Cagliari 09100 (Italy); Sanfilippo, Roberto; Montisci, Roberto [Department of Vascular Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), di Cagliari – Polo di Monserrato, s.s. 554 Monserrato, Cagliari 09045 (Italy); Piga, Mario [Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), di Cagliari – Polo di Monserrato, s.s. 554 Monserrato, Cagliari 09045 (Italy); Wintermark, Max [Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology Division, University of Virginia, Box 800170, Charlottesville, VA, 22908 (United States)

2014-12-15

Highlights: • The use of a color scale to display the non-contrast CT images in lieu of the classic grayscale improves the diagnostic confidence of the readers. • Radiologists should consider the use of a color scale, rather than the conventional grayscale, to assess non-contrast CT studies for possible carotid artery dissection. - Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this work was to evaluate if the use of color maps, instead of conventional grayscale images, would improve the observer's diagnostic confidence in the non-contrast CT evaluation of internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD). Materials and methods: One hundred patients (61 men, 39 women; mean age, 51 years; range, 25–78 years), 40 with and 60 without ICAD, underwent non-contrast CT and were included in this the retrospective study. In this study, three groups of patients were considered: patients with MR confirmation of ICAD, n = 40; patients with MR confirmation of ICAD absence, n = 20; patients who underwent CT of the carotid arteries because of atherosclerotic disease, n = 40. Four blinded observers with different levels of expertise (expert, intermediate A, intermediate B and trainee) analyzed the non-contrast CT datasets using a cross model (one case grayscale and the following case using the color scale). The presence of ICAD was scored on a 5-point scale in order to assess the observer's diagnostic confidence. After 3 months the four observers evaluated the same datasets by using the same cross-model for the alternate readings (one case color scale and the following case using the grayscale). Statistical analysis included receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis, the Cohen weighted test and sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, accuracy, LR+ and LR−. Results: The ROC curve analysis showed that, for all observers, the use of color scale resulted in an improved diagnostic confidence with AUC values increasing from 0.896 to 0.936, 0.823 to 0.849, 0.84 to 0.909 and 0

Influence of sinogram affirmed iterative reconstruction of CT data on image noise characteristics and low-contrast detectability: an objective approach.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian von Falck

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To utilize a novel objective approach combining a software phantom and an image quality metric to systematically evaluate the influence of sinogram affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT data on image noise characteristics and low-contrast detectability (LCD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A low-contrast and a high-contrast phantom were examined on a 128-slice scanner at different dose levels. The datasets were reconstructed using filtered back projection (FBP and SAFIRE and virtual low-contrast lesions (-20HU were inserted. LCD was evaluated using the multiscale structural similarity index (MS-SIM*. Image noise texture and spatial resolution were objectively evaluated. RESULTS: The use of SAFIRE led to an improvement of LCD for all dose levels and lesions sizes. The relative improvement of LCD was inversely related to the dose level, declining from 208%(±37%, 259%(±30% and 309%(±35% at 25mAs to 106%(±6%, 119%(±9% and 123%(±8% at 200mAs for SAFIRE filter strengths of 1, 3 and 5 (p<0.05. SAFIRE reached at least the LCD of FBP at a relative dose of 50%. There was no statistically significant difference in spatial resolution. The use of SAFIRE led to coarser image noise granularity. CONCLUSION: A novel objective approach combining a software phantom and the MS-SSIM* image quality metric was used to analyze the detectability of virtual low-contrast lesions against the background of image noise as created using SAFIRE in comparison to filtered back-projection. We found, that image noise characteristics using SAFIRE at 50% dose were comparable to the use of FBP at 100% dose with respect to lesion detectability. The unfamiliar imaging appearance of iteratively reconstructed datasets may in part be explained by a different, coarser noise characteristic as demonstrated by a granulometric analysis.

Prediction of wall motion improvement after coronary revascularization in patients with postmyocardial infarction. Diagnostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography and myocardial contrast echocardiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waku, Sachiko; Ohkubo, Tomoyuki; Takada, Kiyoshi; Ishihara, Tadashi; Ohsawa, Nakaaki; Adachi, Itaru; Narabayashi, Isamu

1997-01-01

The diagnostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography, myocardial contrast echocardiography and dipyridamole stress thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for predicting recovery of wall motion abnormality after revascularization was evaluated in 13 patients with postmyocardial infarction. Seventeen segments showed severe wall motion abnormalities before revascularization. Nine segments which had relatively good Tl uptake on delayed SPECT images despite severely abnormal wall motion were opacified during myocardial contrast echocardiography, and showed improved wall motion after revascularization. In contrast, three segments which had poor Tl uptake and severely abnormal wall motion were not opacified during myocardial contrast echocardiography, and showed no improvement in wall motion during dobutamine stress echocardiography and after revascularization. The following three findings were assumed to be signs of myocardial viability: good Tl uptake on delayed SPECT images, improved wall motion by dobutamine stress echocardiography, and positive opacification of the myocardium by myocardiai contrast echocardiography. Myocardial contrast echocardiography had the highest sensitivity (100%) and negative predictive value (100%). Delayed SPECT images had the highest specificity (100%) and positive predictive value (100%). Dobutamine stress echocardiography had a sensitivity of 83.0%, specificity of 80.0%, positive predictive value of 90.9%, and negative predictive value of 66.7%, respectively. Myocardial contrast echocardiography showed the lowest specificity (60.0%). The techniques of dobutamine stress echocardiography and SPECT, though noninvasive, may underestimate wall motion improvement after revascularization. Further examination by myocardial contrast echocardiography is recommended to assess myocardial viability for determining the indications for coronary revascularization in spite of its invasiveness. (author)

High Energy Resolution Hyperspectral X-Ray Imaging for Low-Dose Contrast-Enhanced Digital Mammography.

Science.gov (United States)

Pani, Silvia; Saifuddin, Sarene C; Ferreira, Filipa I M; Henthorn, Nicholas; Seller, Paul; Sellin, Paul J; Stratmann, Philipp; Veale, Matthew C; Wilson, Matthew D; Cernik, Robert J

2017-09-01

Contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) is an alternative to conventional X-ray mammography for imaging dense breasts. However, conventional approaches to CEDM require a double exposure of the patient, implying higher dose, and risk of incorrect image registration due to motion artifacts. A novel approach is presented, based on hyperspectral imaging, where a detector combining positional and high-resolution spectral information (in this case based on Cadmium Telluride) is used. This allows simultaneous acquisition of the two images required for CEDM. The approach was tested on a custom breast-equivalent phantom containing iodinated contrast agent (Niopam 150®). Two algorithms were used to obtain images of the contrast agent distribution: K-edge subtraction (KES), providing images of the distribution of the contrast agent with the background structures removed, and a dual-energy (DE) algorithm, providing an iodine-equivalent image and a water-equivalent image. The high energy resolution of the detector allowed the selection of two close-by energies, maximising the signal in KES images, and enhancing the visibility of details with the low surface concentration of contrast agent. DE performed consistently better than KES in terms of contrast-to-noise ratio of the details; moreover, it allowed a correct reconstruction of the surface concentration of the contrast agent in the iodine image. Comparison with CEDM with a conventional detector proved the superior performance of hyperspectral CEDM in terms of the image quality/dose tradeoff.

Evaluation of edge enhancement effect of phase contrast imaging using newly-developed photostimulable phosphor plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuo, Satoru; Morishita, Junji; Katafuchi, Tetsuro; Fujita, Hiroshi

2012-01-01

We investigated whether the use of a newly developed columnar-crystal-type photostimulable-phosphor plate (CP1M200, referred to as system C) helps to provide improved edge-enhanced effect in phase contrast imaging. Physical characteristics of 2 conventional particulate-crystal-type photostimulable-phosphor plates (RP-5PM, referred to as system A and RP-6M, referred to as system B) and system C were measured. Then, an acrylic plate phantom and RMI152 phantom were imaged using 3 types of plates, and the edge-enhancement effects were evaluated based on the profile curve of the acrylic plate phantom. Visual evaluation of the RMI152 phantom images was conducted. The results showed that the modulation transfer function (MTF) of system C was superior to those of the other systems. The WS of system C was superior to those of the other systems in the low frequency band region, and inferior to those of the other systems in the high frequency band region. The presence of an edge-enhanced image was not detectable in the profile curve of the acrylic plate in system A, although that was shown in systems B and C due to their excellent sharpness. In the visual image evaluation of the RMI152 phantom, image quality of system C was superior to those of the other systems. Phase contrast imaging with a digital detector of a columnar-crystal-type photostimulable-phosphor plate is considered to provide improved edge-enhancement over that of conventional plates. (author)

Segmentation of the Clustered Cells with Optimized Boundary Detection in Negative Phase Contrast Images.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuliang Wang

Full Text Available Cell image segmentation plays a central role in numerous biology studies and clinical applications. As a result, the development of cell image segmentation algorithms with high robustness and accuracy is attracting more and more attention. In this study, an automated cell image segmentation algorithm is developed to get improved cell image segmentation with respect to cell boundary detection and segmentation of the clustered cells for all cells in the field of view in negative phase contrast images. A new method which combines the thresholding method and edge based active contour method was proposed to optimize cell boundary detection. In order to segment clustered cells, the geographic peaks of cell light intensity were utilized to detect numbers and locations of the clustered cells. In this paper, the working principles of the algorithms are described. The influence of parameters in cell boundary detection and the selection of the threshold value on the final segmentation results are investigated. At last, the proposed algorithm is applied to the negative phase contrast images from different experiments. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated. Results show that the proposed method can achieve optimized cell boundary detection and highly accurate segmentation for clustered cells.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents in pediatric magnetic resonance imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gale, Eric M.; Caravan, Peter [Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Department of Radiology, The Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA (United States); Rao, Anil G. [Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); McDonald, Robert J. [College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Department of Radiology, Rochester, MN (United States); Winfeld, Matthew [University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Fleck, Robert J. [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Gee, Michael S. [MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Division of Pediatric Imaging, Department of Radiology, Boston, MA (United States)

2017-05-15

Gadolinium-based contrast agents can increase the accuracy and expediency of an MRI examination. However the benefits of a contrast-enhanced scan must be carefully weighed against the well-documented risks associated with administration of exogenous contrast media. The purpose of this review is to discuss commercially available gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) in the context of pediatric radiology. We discuss the chemistry, regulatory status, safety and clinical applications, with particular emphasis on imaging of the blood vessels, heart, hepatobiliary tree and central nervous system. We also discuss non-GBCA MRI contrast agents that are less frequently used or not commercially available. (orig.)

Image quality, threshold contrast and mean glandular dose in CR mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jakubiak, R R; Gamba, H R; Neves, E B; Peixoto, J E

2013-01-01

In many countries, computed radiography (CR) systems represent the majority of equipment used in digital mammography. This study presents a method for optimizing image quality and dose in CR mammography of patients with breast thicknesses between 45 and 75 mm. Initially, clinical images of 67 patients (group 1) were analyzed by three experienced radiologists, reporting about anatomical structures, noise and contrast in low and high pixel value areas, and image sharpness and contrast. Exposure parameters (kV, mAs and target/filter combination) used in the examinations of these patients were reproduced to determine the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and mean glandular dose (MGD). The parameters were also used to radiograph a CDMAM (version 3.4) phantom (Artinis Medical Systems, The Netherlands) for image threshold contrast evaluation. After that, different breast thicknesses were simulated with polymethylmethacrylate layers and various sets of exposure parameters were used in order to determine optimal radiographic parameters. For each simulated breast thickness, optimal beam quality was defined as giving a target CNR to reach the threshold contrast of CDMAM images for acceptable MGD. These results were used for adjustments in the automatic exposure control (AEC) by the maintenance team. Using optimized exposure parameters, clinical images of 63 patients (group 2) were evaluated as described above. Threshold contrast, CNR and MGD for such exposure parameters were also determined. Results showed that the proposed optimization method was effective for all breast thicknesses studied in phantoms. The best result was found for breasts of 75 mm. While in group 1 there was no detection of the 0.1 mm critical diameter detail with threshold contrast below 23%, after the optimization, detection occurred in 47.6% of the images. There was also an average MGD reduction of 7.5%. The clinical image quality criteria were attended in 91.7% for all breast thicknesses evaluated in both

Fuzzy Logic-Based Histogram Equalization for Image Contrast Enhancement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Magudeeswaran

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Fuzzy logic-based histogram equalization (FHE is proposed for image contrast enhancement. The FHE consists of two stages. First, fuzzy histogram is computed based on fuzzy set theory to handle the inexactness of gray level values in a better way compared to classical crisp histograms. In the second stage, the fuzzy histogram is divided into two subhistograms based on the median value of the original image and then equalizes them independently to preserve image brightness. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of proposed FHE algorithm are evaluated using two well-known parameters like average information contents (AIC and natural image quality evaluator (NIQE index for various images. From the qualitative and quantitative measures, it is interesting to see that this proposed method provides optimum results by giving better contrast enhancement and preserving the local information of the original image. Experimental result shows that the proposed method can effectively and significantly eliminate washed-out appearance and adverse artifacts induced by several existing methods. The proposed method has been tested using several images and gives better visual quality as compared to the conventional methods.

X-ray phase contrast imaging: From synchrotrons to conventional sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olivo, A.; Castelli, E.

2014-01-01

Phase-based approaches can revolutionize X-ray imaging and remove its main limitation: poor image contrast arising from low attenuation differences. They exploit the unit decrement of the real part of the refractive index, typically 1000 times larger than the imaginary part driving attenuation. This increases the contrast of all details, and enables the detection of features classically considered 'X-ray invisible'. Following pioneering experiments dating back to the mid-sixties, X-ray phase contrast imaging 'exploded' in the mid-nineties, when third generation synchrotron sources became more widely available. Applications were proposed in fields as diverse as material science, palaeontology, biology, food science, cultural heritage preservation, and many others. Among these applications, medicine has been constantly considered the most important; among medical applications, mammography is arguably the one that attracted most attention. Applications to mammography were pioneered by the SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) group in Trieste, which was already active in the area through a combination of innovative ways to do imaging at synchrotrons and development of novel X-ray detectors. This pioneering phase led to the only clinical experience of phase contrast mammography on human patients, and spawned a number of ideas as to how these advances could be translated into clinical practice.

Improved Wallis Dodging Algorithm for Large-Scale Super-Resolution Reconstruction Remote Sensing Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chong Fan

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A sub-block algorithm is usually applied in the super-resolution (SR reconstruction of images because of limitations in computer memory. However, the sub-block SR images can hardly achieve a seamless image mosaicking because of the uneven distribution of brightness and contrast among these sub-blocks. An effectively improved weighted Wallis dodging algorithm is proposed, aiming at the characteristic that SR reconstructed images are gray images with the same size and overlapping region. This algorithm can achieve consistency of image brightness and contrast. Meanwhile, a weighted adjustment sequence is presented to avoid the spatial propagation and accumulation of errors and the loss of image information caused by excessive computation. A seam line elimination method can share the partial dislocation in the seam line to the entire overlapping region with a smooth transition effect. Subsequently, the improved method is employed to remove the uneven illumination for 900 SR reconstructed images of ZY-3. Then, the overlapping image mosaic method is adopted to accomplish a seamless image mosaic based on the optimal seam line.

Photoacoustic imaging of human lymph nodes with endogenous lipid and hemoglobin contrast

Science.gov (United States)

Guggenheim, James A.; Allen, Thomas J.; Plumb, Andrew; Zhang, Edward Z.; Rodriguez-Justo, Manuel; Punwani, Shonit; Beard, Paul C.

2015-05-01

Lymph nodes play a central role in metastatic cancer spread and are a key clinical assessment target. Abnormal node vascularization, morphology, and size may be indicative of disease but can be difficult to visualize with sufficient accuracy using existing clinical imaging modalities. To explore the potential utility of photoacoustic imaging for the assessment of lymph nodes, images of ex vivo samples were obtained at multiple wavelengths using a high-resolution three-dimensional photoacoustic scanner. These images showed that hemoglobin based contrast reveals nodal vasculature and lipid-based contrast reveals the exterior node size, shape, and boundary integrity. These two sources of complementary contrast may allow indirect observation of cancer, suggesting a future role for photoacoustic imaging as a tool for the clinical assessment of lymph nodes.

Improvement of the image quality of a high-temperature vision system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabijańska, Anna; Sankowski, Dominik

2009-01-01

In this paper, the issues of controlling and improving the image quality of a high-temperature vision system are considered. The image quality improvement is needed to measure the surface properties of metals and alloys. Two levels of image quality control and improvement are defined in the system. The first level in hardware aims at adjusting the system configuration to obtain the highest contrast and weakest aura images. When optimal configuration is obtained, the second level in software is applied. In this stage, image enhancement algorithms are applied which have been developed with consideration of distortions arising from the vision system components and specificity of images acquired during the measurement process. The developed algorithms have been applied in the vision system to images. The influence on the accuracy of wetting angles and surface tension determination are considered

Simulation of single grid-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging (g-PCXI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, H.W.; Lee, H.W. [Department of Radiation Convergence Engineering, iTOMO Group, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, H.S., E-mail: hscho1@yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Radiation Convergence Engineering, iTOMO Group, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493 (Korea, Republic of); Je, U.K.; Park, C.K.; Kim, K.S.; Kim, G.A.; Park, S.Y.; Lee, D.Y.; Park, Y.O.; Woo, T.H. [Department of Radiation Convergence Engineering, iTOMO Group, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, S.H.; Chung, W.H.; Kim, J.W.; Kim, J.G. [R& D Center, JPI Healthcare Co., Ltd., Ansan 425-833 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-01

Single grid-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging (g-PCXI) technique, which was recently proposed by Wen et al. to retrieve absorption, scattering, and phase-gradient images from the raw image of the examined object, seems a practical method for phase-contrast imaging with great simplicity and minimal requirements on the setup alignment. In this work, we developed a useful simulation platform for g-PCXI and performed a simulation to demonstrate its viability. We also established a table-top setup for g-PCXI which consists of a focused-linear grid (200-lines/in strip density), an x-ray tube (100-μm focal spot size), and a flat-panel detector (48-μm pixel size) and performed a preliminary experiment with some samples to show the performance of the simulation platform. We successfully obtained phase-contrast x-ray images of much enhanced contrast from both the simulation and experiment and the simulated contract seemed similar to the experimental contrast, which shows the performance of the developed simulation platform. We expect that the simulation platform will be useful for designing an optimal g-PCXI system. - Highlights: • It is proposed for the single grid-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging (g-PCXI) technique. • We implemented for a numerical simulation code. • The preliminary experiment with several samples to compare is performed. • It is expected to be useful to design an optimal g-PCXI system.

Contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karadjian, V.

1987-01-01

The origine of nuclear magnetic resonance signal is reminded and different ways for contrast enhancement in magnetic resonance imaging are presented, especially, modifications of tissus relaxation times. Investigations have focused on development of agents incorporating either paramagnetic ions or stable free radicals. Pharmacological and toxicological aspects are developed. The diagnostic potential of these substances is illustrated by the example of gadolinium complexes [fr

Comparison of positive and negative enteral contrast agents for MR imaging of the abdomen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaminsky, S.; Langer, M.

1994-01-01

Following oral administration of a buffered gadopentetate-dimeglumine solution (Magnevist enteral R , 1 mmol/l, 6-17 ml/kg) T 1 -, proton-density- and T 2 -weighted spin-echo images of abdominal and retroperitoneal lesions were acquired (0.5 T). Gadopentetate is a signal-enhancing, positive MR contrast agent, intraluminar air served as a model of a signal-free, negative agent. In 21 patients contrast/noise ratios of gadopentetate and air versus lesions and fat were compared quantitatively (t-test). In T 1 - and T 2 -weighted images contrast/noise ratios of gadopentetate versus lesions were significantly higher than those of air. In proton-density images there was no significant difference. In T 1 - and proton-density images contrast/noise ratios of air versus abdominal fat were significantly higher than those of gadopentetate, in T 2 -weighted images gadopentetate had a significantly higher contrast/noise ratio than air. Signal-enhancing positive contrast agents seem advantageous over signal-free negative enteral MR contrast agents. (orig.) [de

Exchange-Mediated Contrast in CEST and Spin-Lock Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, Jared Guthrie; Li, Ke; Xie, Jingping; Gochberg, Daniel F.; Gore, John C.

2014-01-01

PURPOSE Magnetic resonance images of biological media based on chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) show contrast that depends on chemical exchange between water and other protons. In addition, spin-lattice relaxation rates in the rotating frame (R1ρ) are also affected by exchange, especially at high fields, and can be exploited to provide novel, exchange-dependent contrast. Here, we evaluate and compare the factors that modulate the exchange contrast for these methods using simulations and experiments on simple, biologically relevant samples. METHODS Simulations and experimental measurements at 9.4T of rotating frame relaxation rate dispersion and CEST contrast were performed on solutions of macromolecules containing amide and hydroxyl exchanging protons. RESULTS The simulations and experimental measurements confirm that both CEST and R1ρ measurements depend on similar exchange parameters, but they manifest themselves differently in their effects on contrast. CEST contrast may be larger in the slow and intermediate exchange regimes for protons with large resonant frequency offsets (e.g. > 2ppm). Spin-locking techniques can produce larger contrast enhancement when resonant frequency offsets are small (exchange is in the intermediate to fast regime. The image contrasts scale differently with field strength, exchange rate and concentration. CONCLUSION CEST and R1ρ measurements provide different and somewhat complementary information about exchange in tissues. Whereas CEST can depict exchange of protons with specific chemical shifts, appropriate R1ρ dependent acquisitions can be employed to selectively portray protons of specific exchange rates. PMID:24239335

Exchange-mediated contrast in CEST and spin-lock imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, Jared Guthrie; Li, Ke; Xie, Jingping; Gochberg, Daniel F; Gore, John C

2014-01-01

Magnetic resonance images of biological media based on chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) show contrast that depends on chemical exchange between water and other protons. In addition, spin-lattice relaxation rates in the rotating frame (R1ρ) are also affected by exchange, especially at high fields, and can be exploited to provide novel, exchange-dependent contrast. Here, we evaluate and compare the factors that modulate the exchange contrast for these methods using simulations and experiments on simple, biologically relevant samples. Simulations and experimental measurements at 9.4 T of rotating frame relaxation rate dispersion and CEST contrast were performed on solutions of macromolecules containing amide and hydroxyl exchanging protons. The simulations and experimental measurements confirm that both CEST and R1ρ measurements depend on similar exchange parameters, but they manifest themselves differently in their effects on contrast. CEST contrast may be larger in the slow and intermediate exchange regimes for protons with large resonant frequency offsets (e.g. >2 ppm). Spin-locking techniques can produce larger contrast enhancement when resonant frequency offsets are small (exchange is in the intermediate-to-fast regime. The image contrasts scale differently with field strength, exchange rate and concentration. CEST and R1ρ measurements provide different and somewhat complementary information about exchange in tissues. Whereas CEST can depict exchange of protons with specific chemical shifts, appropriate R1ρ-dependent acquisitions can be employed to selectively portray protons of specific exchange rates. © 2013.

Simulations of multi-contrast x-ray imaging using near-field speckles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zdora, Marie-Christine [Lehrstuhl für Biomedizinische Physik, Physik-Department & Institut für Medizintechnik, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching (Germany); Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, United Kingdom and Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Thibault, Pierre [Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Herzen, Julia; Pfeiffer, Franz [Lehrstuhl für Biomedizinische Physik, Physik-Department & Institut für Medizintechnik, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching (Germany); Zanette, Irene [Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE (United Kingdom); Lehrstuhl für Biomedizinische Physik, Physik-Department & Institut für Medizintechnik, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching (Germany)

2016-01-28

X-ray dark-field and phase-contrast imaging using near-field speckles is a novel technique that overcomes limitations inherent in conventional absorption x-ray imaging, i.e. poor contrast for features with similar density. Speckle-based imaging yields a wealth of information with a simple setup tolerant to polychromatic and divergent beams, and simple data acquisition and analysis procedures. Here, we present a simulation software used to model the image formation with the speckle-based technique, and we compare simulated results on a phantom sample with experimental synchrotron data. Thorough simulation of a speckle-based imaging experiment will help for better understanding and optimising the technique itself.

Automated detection of acute haemorrhagic stroke in non-contrasted CT images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meetz, K.; Buelow, T.

2007-01-01

An efficient treatment of stroke patients implies a profound differential diagnosis that includes the detection of acute haematoma. The proposed approach provides an automated detection of acute haematoma, assisting the non-stroke expert in interpreting non-contrasted CT images. It consists of two steps: First, haematoma candidates are detected applying multilevel region growing approach based on a typical grey value characteristic. Second, true haematomas are differentiated from partial volume artefacts, relying on spatial features derived from distance-based histograms. This approach achieves a specificity of 77% and a sensitivity of 89.7% in detecting acute haematoma in non-contrasted CT images when applied to a set of 25 non-contrasted CT images. (orig.)

Development of phase-contrast imaging technique for material science and medical science applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashyap, Y.S.; Roy, Tushar; Sarkar, P.S; Shukla, Mayank; Yadav, P.S; Sinha, Amar; Verma, Vishnu; Ghosh, A.K.

2007-07-01

In-line phase contrast imaging technique is an emerging method for study of materials such as carbon fibres, carbon composite materials, polymers etc. These represent the class of materials for which x-ray attenuation cross-section is very small. Similarly, this technique is also well suited for imaging of soft materials such as tissues, distinguishing between tumour and normal tissue. Thus this method promises a far better contrast for low x-ray absorbing substances than the conventional radiography method for material and medical science applications. Though the conventional radiography technique has been carried out for decades, the phase-imaging technique is being demonstrated for the first time within, the country. We have set up an experimental facility for phase contrast imaging using a combination of x-ray CCD detector and a microfocus x-ray source. This facility is dedicated for micro-imaging experiments such as micro-tomography and high resolution phase contrast experiments. In this report, the results of phase contrast imaging using microfocus source and ELETTRA, synchrotron source are discussed. We have also discussed the basic design and heat load calculation for upcoming imaging beamline at Indus-II, RRCAT, Indore. (author)

Diffraction contrast imaging using virtual apertures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gammer, Christoph; Burak Ozdol, V.; Liebscher, Christian H.; Minor, Andrew M.

2015-01-01

Two methods on how to obtain the full diffraction information from a sample region and the associated reconstruction of images or diffraction patterns using virtual apertures are demonstrated. In a STEM-based approach, diffraction patterns are recorded for each beam position using a small probe convergence angle. Similarly, a tilt series of TEM dark-field images is acquired. The resulting datasets allow the reconstruction of either electron diffraction patterns, or bright-, dark- or annular dark-field images using virtual apertures. The experimental procedures of both methods are presented in the paper and are applied to a precipitation strengthened and creep deformed ferritic alloy with a complex microstructure. The reconstructed virtual images are compared with conventional TEM images. The major advantage is that arbitrarily shaped virtual apertures generated with image processing software can be designed without facing any physical limitations. In addition, any virtual detector that is specifically designed according to the underlying crystal structure can be created to optimize image contrast. - Highlights: • A dataset containing all structural information of a given position is recorded. • The dataset allows reconstruction of virtual diffraction patterns or images. • Specific virtual apertures are designed to image precipitates in a complex alloy. • Virtual diffraction patterns from arbitrarily small regions can be established. • Using STEM diffraction to record the dataset is more efficient than TEM dark-field

Noise propagation in x-ray phase-contrast imaging and computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesterets, Yakov I; Gureyev, Timur E

2014-01-01

Three phase-retrieval algorithms, based on the transport-of-intensity equation and on the contrast transfer function for propagation-based imaging, and on the linearized geometrical optics approximation for analyser-based imaging, are investigated. The algorithms are compared in terms of their effect on propagation of noise from projection images to the corresponding phase-retrieved images and further to the computed tomography (CT) images/slices of a monomorphous object reconstructed using filtered backprojection algorithm. The comparison is carried out in terms of an integral noise characteristic, the variance, as well as in terms of a simple figure-of-merit, i.e. signal-to-noise ratio per unit dose. A gain factor is introduced that quantitatively characterizes the effect of phase retrieval on the variance of noise in the reconstructed projection images and in the axial slices of the object. Simple analytical expressions are derived for the gain factor and the signal-to-noise ratio, which indicate that the application of phase-retrieval algorithms can increase these parameters by up to two orders of magnitude compared to raw projection images and conventional CT, thus allowing significant improvement in the image quality and/or reduction of the x-ray dose delivered to the patient. (paper)

A Proposed Computed Tomography Contrast Agent Using Carboxybetaine Zwitterionic Tantalum Oxide Nanoparticles: Imaging, Biological, and Physicochemical Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

FitzGerald, Paul F; Butts, Matthew D; Roberts, Jeannette C; Colborn, Robert E; Torres, Andrew S; Lee, Brian D; Yeh, Benjamin M; Bonitatibus, Peter J

2016-12-01

, including the high concentrations required for standard clinical CT imaging. Computed tomography imaging studies demonstrated image contrast improvement of approximately 40% to 50% using CZ-TaO NPs compared with an iodinated agent injected at the same mass concentration. Blood and organ analyses showed no adverse effects after injection in healthy naive rats at 3 times the ACD. Retention of tantalum at 48 hours after injection was less than 2% of the injected dose in the whole carcass, which very closely matched the reported retention of existing commercial iodine-based contrast agents. Urine analysis of sensitive markers for acute kidney injury showed no responses at 1 week after injection at 3 times the ACD; however, a moderate response in the neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin biomarker was measured at 24 and 48 hours. Compared with other TaO NPs reported in the literature, CZ-TaO NPs had relatively low osmolality and viscosity at concentrations greater than 200 mg Ta/mL and were similar in these physical properties to dimeric iodine-based contrast agents. We found that a CZ-TaO NP-based contrast agent is potentially viable for general-purpose clinical CT imaging. Our results suggest that such an agent can be formulated with clinically viable physicochemical properties, can be biologically safe and cleared rapidly in urine, and can provide substantially improved image contrast at CT compared with current iodinated agents.

STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE) imaging, part I: Creating enhanced T1 contrast and standardized susceptibility weighted imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yongsheng; Liu, Saifeng; Wang, Yu; Kang, Yan; Haacke, E Mark

2018-02-01

To provide whole brain grey matter (GM) to white matter (WM) contrast enhanced T1W (T1WE) images, multi-echo quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), proton density (PD) weighted images, T1 maps, PD maps, susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), and R2* maps with minimal misregistration in scanning times creating enhanced GM/WM contrast (the T1WE). The proposed T1WE image was created from a combination of the proton density weighted (6°, PDW) and T1W (24°) images and corrected for RF transmit field variations. Prior to the QSM calculation, a multi-echo phase unwrapping strategy was implemented using the unwrapped short echo to unwrap the longer echo to speed up computation. R2* maps were used to mask deep grey matter and veins during the iterative QSM calculation. A weighted-average sum of susceptibility maps was generated to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The proposed T1WE image has a significantly improved CNR both for WM to deep GM and WM to cortical GM compared to the acquired T1W image (the first echo of 24° scan) and the T1MPRAGE image. The weighted-average susceptibility maps have 80±26%, 55±22%, 108±33% SNR increases across the ten subjects compared to the single echo result of 17.5ms for the putamen, caudate nucleus, and globus pallidus, respectively. STAGE imaging offers the potential to create a standardized brain imaging protocol providing four pieces of quantitative tissue property information and multiple types of qualitative information in just 5min. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Development of a platform for co-registered ultrasound and MR contrast imaging in vivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandrana, Chaitanya; Bevan, Peter; Hudson, John; Pang, Ian; Burns, Peter; Plewes, Donald; Chopra, Rajiv, E-mail: rajiv.chopra@sri.utoronto.ca [Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Imaging Research, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Ave., Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5 (Canada)

2011-02-07

Imaging of the microvasculature is often performed using contrast agents in combination with either ultrasound (US) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Contrast agents are used to enhance medical imaging by highlighting microvascular properties and function. Dynamic signal changes arising from the passage of contrast agents through the microvasculature can be used to characterize different pathologies; however, comparisons across modalities are difficult due to differences in the interactions of contrast agents with the microvasculature. Better knowledge of the relationship of contrast enhancement patterns with both modalities could enable better characterization of tissue microvasculature. We developed a co-registration platform for multi-modal US and MR imaging using clinical imaging systems in order to study the relationship between US and MR contrast enhancement. A preliminary validation study was performed in phantoms to determine the registration accuracy of the platform. In phantoms, the in-plane registration accuracy was measured to be 0.2 {+-} 0.2 and 0.3 {+-} 0.2 mm, in the lateral and axial directions, respectively. The out-of-plane registration accuracy was estimated to be 0.5 mm {+-}0.1. Co-registered US and MR imaging was performed in a rabbit model to evaluate contrast kinetics in different tissue types after bolus injections of US and MR contrast agents. The arrival time of the contrast agent in the plane of imaging was relatively similar for both modalities. We studied three different tissue types: muscle, large vessels and fat. In US, the temporal kinetics of signal enhancement were not strongly dependent on tissue type. In MR, however, due to the different amounts of agent extravasation in each tissue type, tissue-specific contrast kinetics were observed. This study demonstrates the feasibility of performing in vivo co-registered contrast US and MR imaging to study the relationships of the enhancement patterns with each modality.

Development of a platform for co-registered ultrasound and MR contrast imaging in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrana, Chaitanya; Bevan, Peter; Hudson, John; Pang, Ian; Burns, Peter; Plewes, Donald; Chopra, Rajiv

2011-02-01

Imaging of the microvasculature is often performed using contrast agents in combination with either ultrasound (US) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Contrast agents are used to enhance medical imaging by highlighting microvascular properties and function. Dynamic signal changes arising from the passage of contrast agents through the microvasculature can be used to characterize different pathologies; however, comparisons across modalities are difficult due to differences in the interactions of contrast agents with the microvasculature. Better knowledge of the relationship of contrast enhancement patterns with both modalities could enable better characterization of tissue microvasculature. We developed a co-registration platform for multi-modal US and MR imaging using clinical imaging systems in order to study the relationship between US and MR contrast enhancement. A preliminary validation study was performed in phantoms to determine the registration accuracy of the platform. In phantoms, the in-plane registration accuracy was measured to be 0.2 ± 0.2 and 0.3 ± 0.2 mm, in the lateral and axial directions, respectively. The out-of-plane registration accuracy was estimated to be 0.5 mm ±0.1. Co-registered US and MR imaging was performed in a rabbit model to evaluate contrast kinetics in different tissue types after bolus injections of US and MR contrast agents. The arrival time of the contrast agent in the plane of imaging was relatively similar for both modalities. We studied three different tissue types: muscle, large vessels and fat. In US, the temporal kinetics of signal enhancement were not strongly dependent on tissue type. In MR, however, due to the different amounts of agent extravasation in each tissue type, tissue-specific contrast kinetics were observed. This study demonstrates the feasibility of performing in vivo co-registered contrast US and MR imaging to study the relationships of the enhancement patterns with each modality.

PEGylated chitosan grafted with polyamidoaminedendron as tumor-targeted magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guangyue Zu; Xiaoyan Tong; Yi Cao; Ye Kuang; Yajie Zhang; Min Liu; Renjun Pei

2017-01-01

Macromolecular contrast agents labeled with targeting ligands are now receiving growing interest in tumor-targeted magnetic resonance imaging. In this study, a macromolecular contrast agent based on PEGylated chitosan was synthesized and characterized, and its application as an MRI contrast agent was then demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. First, the chitosan backbone was partially grafted with poly(ethylene glycol), which was used to improve the in vivo stability, followed by modifying with azide groups. Second, alkynyl-terminated PAMAM dendron modified with gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) was synthesized and conjugated onto the chitosan backbone through click chemistry. Finally, the obtained mCA was further functionalized with folic acid to improve the target specificity. The obtained FA labeled mCA exhibited higher relaxivity (9.53 mM"-"1.s"-"1) relative to Gd-DTPA (4.25 mM"-"1.s"-"1) and showed negligible toxicity as determined by the WST assay. In vivo MRI results suggested that a relatively high signal enhancement was observed in the tumor region, which made it a promising candidate for tumor-targeted MRI CA. (authors)

Contrast enhancement pattern in MR imaging of acute cerebral infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Deok; Cho, Mee Young; Lee, Chae Guk; Song, Dong Hoon

1994-01-01

To present the enhancement pattern of acute cerebral or cerebellar cortical infarctions aged 1-3 days on MR. Contrast-enhanced MR images of 26 patients with acute cerebral or cerebellar ischemic events were retrospectively reviewed. MR was performed within 3 days after ictus. Contrast enhancement in the area of infarction was observed in 61.5% (16/26) on MR. Of these 50% (13/26) showed non-parenchymal enhancement (NPE) representing either vascular or leptomeningeal enhancement, 7.7% (2/26) showed parenchymal enhancement (PE), and 2.8% (1/26) showed both NPE and PE. The earliest enhancement was seen in images obtained 12 hours after the onset of symptoms and appeared as NPE. One patient showed NPE without apparent high signal intensity at the corresponding area on T2-weighted images. In 38.5% (10/26), there was no enhancement. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging may be needed in acute ischemic infarction, because NPE may be seen as the earliest MR finding of acute cortical infraction aged 1-3 days

Contrast enhancement pattern in MR imaging of acute cerebral infarction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jong Deok; Cho, Mee Young; Lee, Chae Guk; Song, Dong Hoon [Inje University College of Medicine, Pusan (Korea, Republic of)

1994-08-15

To present the enhancement pattern of acute cerebral or cerebellar cortical infarctions aged 1-3 days on MR. Contrast-enhanced MR images of 26 patients with acute cerebral or cerebellar ischemic events were retrospectively reviewed. MR was performed within 3 days after ictus. Contrast enhancement in the area of infarction was observed in 61.5% (16/26) on MR. Of these 50% (13/26) showed non-parenchymal enhancement (NPE) representing either vascular or leptomeningeal enhancement, 7.7% (2/26) showed parenchymal enhancement (PE), and 2.8% (1/26) showed both NPE and PE. The earliest enhancement was seen in images obtained 12 hours after the onset of symptoms and appeared as NPE. One patient showed NPE without apparent high signal intensity at the corresponding area on T2-weighted images. In 38.5% (10/26), there was no enhancement. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging may be needed in acute ischemic infarction, because NPE may be seen as the earliest MR finding of acute cortical infraction aged 1-3 days.

Combining multi-pulse excitation and chirp coding in contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crocco, M; Sciallero, C; Trucco, A; Pellegretti, P

2009-01-01

The development of techniques to separate the response of the contrast agent from that of the biological tissues is of great importance in ultrasound medical imaging. In the literature, one can find various solutions involving the use of multiple transmitted signals and the weighted sum of related echoes. In this paper, the combination of one of these multi-pulse techniques with a coded excitation is proposed and assessed. Coded excitation has been used mainly to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the penetration depth, provided that a matched filtering is applied in the reception chain. However, it has been shown that a signal with a long duration time also increases the backscattered echoes produced by the microbubbles and, consequently, the contrast-to-tissue ratio. Therefore, the implementation of a multi-pulse technique using a long coded pulse can yield a better contrast-to-tissue ratio and SNR. This paper investigates the combination of the linear chirp pulse with a multi-pulse technique based on the transmission of three pulses. The performance was evaluated using both simulated and real signals, assessing the improvement in the contrast-to-tissue ratio and SNR, the visual quality of the images obtained and the axial accuracy. A comparison with the same multi-pulse technique implemented using a traditional amplitude-modulated pulse revealed that the deployment of a chirp pulse produces several noticeable advantages and only a minor drawback

An Approach to Improve the Quality of Infrared Images of Vein-Patterns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Lung Lin

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This study develops an approach to improve the quality of infrared (IR images of vein-patterns, which usually have noise, low contrast, low brightness and small objects of interest, thus requiring preprocessing to improve their quality. The main characteristics of the proposed approach are that no prior knowledge about the IR image is necessary and no parameters must be preset. Two main goals are sought: impulse noise reduction and adaptive contrast enhancement technologies. In our study, a fast median-based filter (FMBF is developed as a noise reduction method. It is based on an IR imaging mechanism to detect the noisy pixels and on a modified median-based filter to remove the noisy pixels in IR images. FMBF has the advantage of a low computation load. In addition, FMBF can retain reasonably good edges and texture information when the size of the filter window increases. The most important advantage is that the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR caused by FMBF is higher than the PSNR caused by the median filter. A hybrid cumulative histogram equalization (HCHE is proposed for adaptive contrast enhancement. HCHE can automatically generate a hybrid cumulative histogram (HCH based on two different pieces of information about the image histogram. HCHE can improve the enhancement effect on hot objects rather than background. The experimental results are addressed and demonstrate that the proposed approach is feasible for use as an effective and adaptive process for enhancing the quality of IR vein-pattern images.

Image contrast enhancement based on a local standard deviation model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Dah-Chung; Wu, Wen-Rong

1996-01-01

The adaptive contrast enhancement (ACE) algorithm is a widely used image enhancement method, which needs a contrast gain to adjust high frequency components of an image. In the literature, the gain is usually inversely proportional to the local standard deviation (LSD) or is a constant. But these cause two problems in practical applications, i.e., noise overenhancement and ringing artifact. In this paper a new gain is developed based on Hunt's Gaussian image model to prevent the two defects. The new gain is a nonlinear function of LSD and has the desired characteristic emphasizing the LSD regions in which details are concentrated. We have applied the new ACE algorithm to chest x-ray images and the simulations show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm

Brain MR post-gadolinium contrast in multiple sclerosis: the role of magnetization transfer and image subtraction in detecting more enhancing lesions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gavra, M.M.; Gouliamos, A.D.; Vlahos, L.J. [Department of Radiology, ' ' Aretaieion' ' Hospital,University of Athens Medical School, Athens (Greece); Voumvourakis, C.; Sfagos, C. [Department of Neurology, ' ' Eginiteion' ' Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens (Greece)

2004-03-01

Our purpose was to evaluate the role of magnetization transfer and image subtraction in detecting more enhancing lesions in brain MR imaging of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Thirty-one MS patients underwent MR imaging of the brain with T1-weighted spin echo sequences without and with magnetization transfer (MT) using a 1.5 T imager. Both sequences were acquired before and after intravenous injection of a paramagnetic contrast agent. Subtraction images in T1-weighted sequences were obtained by subtracting the pre-contrast images from the post-contrast ones. A significant difference was found between the numbers of enhanced areas in post-gadolinium T1-weighted images without and with MT (p=0.020). The post-gadolinium T1-weighted images with MT allowed the detection of an increased (13) number of enhancing lesions compared with post-gadolinium T1-weighted images without MT. A significant difference was also found between the numbers of enhanced areas in post-gadolinium T1-weighted images without MT and subtraction images without MT (p=0.020). The subtraction images without MT allowed the detection of an increased (10) number of enhancing lesions compared with post-gadolinium T1-weighted images without MT. Magnetization transfer contrast and subtraction techniques appear to be the simplest and least time-consuming applications to improve the conspicuity and detection of contrast-enhancing lesions in patients with MS. (orig.)

Brain MR post-gadolinium contrast in multiple sclerosis: the role of magnetization transfer and image subtraction in detecting more enhancing lesions