Novel Transmission Scanning and Computational Strategies for Quantitative microPET Imaging. Advances in detector technologies have led to the development and commercialisation of small animal imaging systems such as microPET which provide high resolution images of radioactive compounds in live animals, but the images can only be interpreted qualitatively. Our aim is to develop quantitative technologies for these new imaging systems. Major outcomes will include novel methods of measuring and corr ....Novel Transmission Scanning and Computational Strategies for Quantitative microPET Imaging. Advances in detector technologies have led to the development and commercialisation of small animal imaging systems such as microPET which provide high resolution images of radioactive compounds in live animals, but the images can only be interpreted qualitatively. Our aim is to develop quantitative technologies for these new imaging systems. Major outcomes will include novel methods of measuring and correcting for signal loss due to photon interactions in the body and integrated image reconstruction algorithms. This will lead to a new generation of quantitative imaging devices; the new technologies will be directly translatable to clinical imaging systems and will broaden the range of microPET applications in the life sciences.Read moreRead less
Novel technologies for motion-compensated simultaneous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. The aim of this work is to develop motion tracking and motion correction techniques for an emerging hybrid imaging technology, MR-PET. The MR-PET scanner simultaneously acquires structural MR images and functional PET images. The work will provide clearer images without the effects of motion blur for both research and clinical applications.
New Imaging Instrumentation and Algorithms for the Simultaneous Measurement of Multiple Radio-labelled Probes in vivo. Medical imaging plays an increasingly important role in basic biological research and health care. This project will lead to new imaging technologies that allow the simultaneous measurement of more than one biological process at a time in living subjects, providing new insights into disabling diseases, such as cancer and mental illness. An immediate benefit will be to strengthen ....New Imaging Instrumentation and Algorithms for the Simultaneous Measurement of Multiple Radio-labelled Probes in vivo. Medical imaging plays an increasingly important role in basic biological research and health care. This project will lead to new imaging technologies that allow the simultaneous measurement of more than one biological process at a time in living subjects, providing new insights into disabling diseases, such as cancer and mental illness. An immediate benefit will be to strengthen the expertise in biomedical engineering and instrumentation development in Australia, where we have international leadership. The technologies developed will provide advanced tools for making fundamental biological discoveries and translating them into biotechnological or clinical applications.Read moreRead less
Simultaneous measurement of brain function and behaviour in fully conscious laboratory animals. MicroPET is an advanced imaging technology that measures important biochemical processes, such as enzyme activity rates and receptor binding, in the living rodent brain. However, the requirement for the animal to be anaesthetised precludes the study of behavioural changes in response to sensory or drug stimulus during the imaging study. In this research, we will develop novel motion tracking and compu ....Simultaneous measurement of brain function and behaviour in fully conscious laboratory animals. MicroPET is an advanced imaging technology that measures important biochemical processes, such as enzyme activity rates and receptor binding, in the living rodent brain. However, the requirement for the animal to be anaesthetised precludes the study of behavioural changes in response to sensory or drug stimulus during the imaging study. In this research, we will develop novel motion tracking and computational algorithms that enable microPET to non-invasively image the brains of conscious, freely moving animals while simultaneously observing their behaviour. These new technologies will, for the first time, allow neuroscientists to study the genetic, behavioural and neurochemical correlates of brain disease.Read moreRead less
Synchrotrons, wavelet analysis and novel imaging techniques - applying physics tools to the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer leads to the second highest number of person-years of life lost due to cancer in Australia, with little known about its transport around the body. Current screening methods for breast cancer are neither 100% sensitive or specific and are heavily dependent upon expert training. This project will contribute by yielding valuable information on the transport of breast ....Synchrotrons, wavelet analysis and novel imaging techniques - applying physics tools to the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer leads to the second highest number of person-years of life lost due to cancer in Australia, with little known about its transport around the body. Current screening methods for breast cancer are neither 100% sensitive or specific and are heavily dependent upon expert training. This project will contribute by yielding valuable information on the transport of breast cancer and contribute to the development of an automated diagnostic method, with the possibility of its application to other diseases. The project will also involve members of the regional community, train regional scientists and provide synchrotron experience for Australian scientists in time for Australia's first synchrotron.Read moreRead less