Research Specialties

Theoretical

Diagnostic Radiography.: Analysis of both analog and digital radiographic images in terms of systems theory and signal detection theory, with an emphasis on the trade-offs available among spatial resolution, contrast, statistical quality, and patient radiation exposure. Development of theoretical models for human observer performance in radiography. Monte Carlo simulation of photon transport in radiography with emphasis on the directional and energy spectral distributions of scattered x-rays. (Giger, Nishikawa, Metz, Doi)
Evaluation of Diagnostic Performance.: Development of statistical and experimental methodology for the evaluation of diagnostic performance in terms of linear detection theory, with emphasis on Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis and decision analysis; optimization of diagnostic strategies. (Metz)
Nuclear Medicine Imaging.: Analysis of the radionuclide imaging process in terms of systems theory. Optimization of detector collimator designs; instrumentation and data processing techniques for emission computed tomography (SPECT and PET) using gamma and positron sources; utilization of pulse-height information and time-of-flight information; quantitation of in vivo radionuclide distributions; development of new image reconstruction algorithms. (C. T. Chen, Metz, Pan, Beck)
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging.: Spectroscopic imaging techniques, multidimensional radon transformations, anisotropic resolution backprojection reconstruction, data acquisition strategies, spectroscopic image signal-to-noise evaluation, and data visualization problems. (Halpern, Pelizzari, Karczmar, Pan)

Experimental

Diagnostic Radiography.: Experimental measurements of sensitometric relationships, energy spectral sensitivity, transfer functions, and noise Wiener spectra in both analog and digital radiography; monochromatic x-ray generators; diagnostic x-ray spectra; digital image processing; stereo magnification radiography. (Nishikawa, Giger, Doi, Metz)
Computer Vision Schemes in Radiology.: Computer-aided detection and diagnosis of lung nodules, mammographic microcalcifications and masses, and stenotic lesions; automated tracking of vascular structures in angiograms; automated analysis of lung texture patterns in chest images; computerized analysis of bone structure; artificial intelligence and expert systems to facilitate radiologists' diagnosis; development of digital databases of radiographic images; techniques for simulating radiographs; clinical evaluation of computer-aided detection systems. (Doi, Giger, Nishikawa, Schmidt, Vyborny, Metz, Armato, Jiang, Yoshida)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy.: Development of computer graphics software for creation of 3D, rotating, shaded surface displays of organs and lesions detected in the usual tomographic MR images. Special radio frequency pulse sequences and data manipulation software for enhancement of contrast in tomographic images. Development of fast MR imaging methods that utilize prior knowledge of anatomy. Development of new methods of acquiring and analyzing functional MR images. Use of MR to measure tumor metabolism, blood flow, and response to therapy. (Levin, Karczmar, Beck)
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging.: Instrument development. Rapid scanning continuous wave techniques. Magnet design, construction, and evaluation for pulsed EPR projection acquisitions. Resonator design, construction, and performance evaluation. Development of novel injectable spin probes with sensitivity to various aspects of body fluids with distribution in various (controlable) fluid compartments. (Halpern, Pelizzari, Karczmar, Pan)
Evaluation of Diagnostic Performance.: Measurements of visual detection performance under various conditions in diagnostic radiography and nuclear medicine. Analysis of clinical data. (Giger, C. T. Chen, Nishikawa, Beck, Metz, Doi, Vyborny, Cooper, Jiang)
Nuclear Medicine Imaging.: Positron-emission Tomography (PET); single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT); miniature gamma camera; image processing; 3D visualization; applications of artificial intelligence and neural networks to nuclear medicine imaging; evaluation of semi-conductor detectors; quantitative measurements of in vivo radionuclide distributions; quality-control methodology; quantification of aspects of regional brain function (e.g., blood flow, glucose metabolism and neuroreceptor pharmacology) from PET data. (Beck, C. T. Chen, Metz, Cooper)
Computer Applications in Radiation Therapy.: Three dimensional treatment plan calculations and graphic display, use of advanced imaging techniques (CT, MRI, PET) in radiation therapy planning and assessment of efficacy, techniques and applications of multi-modality image correlation, quantitative evaluation and optimization of treatment plans. (Pelizzari, Kuchnir, Myrianthopoulos)
Development of Advanced Techniques for Therapy Delivery.: Computer simulation and evaluation of dynamic therapy and charged particle therapy, development of electron beam algorithms and techniques for treatment planning, intraoperative radiotherapy, total body irradiation. (Reft, Myrianthopoulos, Kuchnir, Halpern)
Dose Computation and Verification.: Development of algorithms for the computation of absorbed dose distributions for radiation-therapy treatments, taking into account the three dimensional nature of the problem and the patient's anatomy, using as input computed tomography and x-ray beam attenuation and scatter data; verification of the results of the computations by direct measurements in anthropomorphic phantoms; experimentation with interactive methods of displaying the results in order to optimize information transfer to the physicians. (Kuchnir, Myrianthopoulos, Reft, Pelizzari)
Dosimetry.: Measurements of mixed neutron and gamma fields as well as pure gamma or electron fields. Applications of ionization chambers, proportional counters, thermoluminescent dosimeters, silicon detectors, neutron activation analysis, and Monte Carlo and transport calculations directed toward various clinical applications of radiation and radiation protection. Collaborative effort with physics group at Argonne National Laboratory and the Cancer Therapy Facility at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. (Kuchnir, Myrianthopoulos, Reft, Roeske)
Digital Radiography.: Impact of digital radiography on clinical efficacy (diagnostic accuracy, utility, and cost); physical measures of image quality of digital systems; observer performance studies of digital systems and picture archive and communication systems (PACS). (Giger, Nishikawa, Metz, Doi, Vyborny, Behlen)
Multi-modality Image Correlation.: Development of software techniques to correlate multiple volumetric imaging studies of patients (CT, MRI, SPECT, PET). Application of these techniques to clinical problems in radiation oncology, diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, neurology and surgery. (Pelizzari, C. T. Chen, Levin, Cooper, Halpern)
Physics of Radiolabeled Monoclonal Antibody Therapy.: Development of methods to determine biodistribution of radiolabeled MoAb's in patients. Registration of SPECT and scintigraphs with CT/MRI anatomic images; calculation of dose to tumor and normal organs from radiolabeled substances. Microdosimetry of Auger and alpha emitters as applied to MoAb's. (Pelizzari, C.T. Chen, Levin)