O objetivo neste estudo foi comparar modelos de prototipagem, originados a partir de dados obtidos em exames de tomografia volumétrica (TV) e tomografia computadorizada (TC), a fim de verificar a precisão de reprodutibilidade destas tecnologias. Uma mandíbula seca foi submetida aos exames de TV (NewTom 9000? QR, Itália) e TC (Select SP-Elscint, Israel). Os dados obtidos nos exames foram manipulados em dois sistemas de tratamento de imagem, o 3D- Analyze (Mayo Clinic, E.U.A.) e o InVesalius (CenPRA, Brasil) e confeccionados protótipos, em duas diferentes tecnologias (SLS - sinterização seletiva a laser e 3DP - impressão tridimensional). A mandíbula seca (padrão ouro) e os oito conjuntos de protótipos gerados, sendo I-TC-Analyze?3DP; II-TC-Invesalius?3DP; III-TC-Analyze?SLS; IVTC- Invesalius-SLS; V-TV-Analyze?3DP; VI-TV-Invesalius?3DP; VIII-TV-Analyze? SLS; VIII-TV-Invesalius-SLS, foram submetidos a processos de engenharia reversa com a finalidade de digitalizar as superfícies dos objetos para uma comparação de cada modelo de prototipagem produzido com o padrão ouro, com precisão de 0,001mm. Os desvios de até 1mm e até 2mm foram calculados, comparados e analisados estatisticamente os erros percentuais. Os modelos de prototipagem rápida originados por meio da obtenção de dados de exames de tomografia computadorizada são mais precisos que os modelos de prototipagem originados por meio de dados de exames de tomografia volumétrica. / The purpose of this study is to compare rapid prototyping models created from cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) and multislice computerized tomography (CT) data, in order to verify the accuracy of these technologies. A dry skull mandible was submitted in a CBCT (NewTom ? QR, Italy) and CT (Select SP-Elscint, Israel) exams. The tomographies data were processed by two different Medical Image processing systems, 3D-Analyze (Mayo Clinic, U.S.A.) and InVesalius (CenPRA, Brazil). Rapid prototypes models were built in two different rapid prototyping technologies, 3D Printer (3DP) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). The dry skull mandible (gold standard) and the eight prototypes, as follows; I-CT-Analyze?3DP; IICT- Invesalius?3DP; III-CT-Analyze?SLS; IV-CT-Invesalius-SLS; V-CBCT-Analyze? 3DP; VI-CBCT-Invesalius?3DP; VIII-CBCT-Analyze?SLS; VIII-CBCT-Invesalius-SLS, were submitted to a reverse engineering process aimed to digitalize the surfaces of the objects to compare each rapid prototype model with the gold standard with a precision of 0.001mm. Percentage deviations errors until 1.0mm and 2.0mm were calculated, compared and statistically analyzed. The prototyped models obtained with multislice computerized tomography data shows more accuracy than those obtained with data from cone beam computerized tomography.

A characteristic feature of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an abnormal inflammatory response in the lungs to inhaled particles or gases. The ability to assess and monitor this response in the lungs of COPD patients is important for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms, but also provides a measure of the activity of the disease. Disease activity is more likely to relate to lung inflammation rather than the degree of airflow limitation as measured by the FEV1. Preliminary studies have shown the 18F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F FDG-PET) signal, as a measure of lung inflammation, is quantifiable in the lungs and is increased in COPD patients compared to controls. However, the methodology requires standardisation and any further enhancement of the methodology would improve its application to assess inflammation in the lungs. I investigated various methods of assessing FDG uptake in the lungs and assessed the reproducibility of these methods, and particularly evaluated whether the data was reproducible or not in the COPD patients (smokers and ex-smokers). This data was then compared with a group of healthy controls to assess the role of dynamic 18F FDG-PET scanning as a surrogate marker of lung inflammation. My data showed a good reproducibility of all methods of assessing FDG lung uptake. However, using conventional Patlak analysis, the uptake was not statistically different between COPD and the control group. Encouraging results in favour of COPD patients were nonetheless shown using compartmental methods of assessing the FDG lung uptake, suggesting the need to correct for the effect of air and blood (tissue fraction effect) when assessing this in a highly vascular organ like the lungs. A prospective study analysis involving a bigger cohort of COPD patients would be desirable to investigate this further.

Ma, Ka Lim. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [110]-117). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Radon Transform and Medical Tomography --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Computed Tomography --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Emission Computed Tomography --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- SPECT --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- PET --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3 --- Radon Transform --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Properties of Radon Transform --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Fourier Slice Theorem --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4 --- Research Objective --- p.12 / Chapter 2 --- Popular Tomographic Reconstruction Algorithms --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1 --- Analytic Method --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Direct Fourier Method (DFM) --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Backprojection (BP) --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Backprojection Filtering (BPF) --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Filtered Backprojection (FBP) --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2 --- Iterative Method --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Maximum Likelihood - Expectation Maximization (ML-EM) --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Ordered Subsets Expectation Maximization (OSEM) --- p.27 / Chapter 3 --- Consistent Reconstruction --- p.30 / Chapter 3.1 --- Directional Filter Bank (DFB) --- p.30 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Interpolation in horizontal function space --- p.32 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Directional Multiresolution Analysis --- p.33 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Iterated Filter Bank Equivalence --- p.36 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Vertical Directional Function Space --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Summary --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2 --- Reconstruction Scheme --- p.42 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Choices for basis function 6m --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Choices for coordinate mapping function wm --- p.46 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Summary --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3 --- Experiment --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Experiment for consistent reconstruction with different choices --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Experiment for comparison with different reconstruction methods --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusion --- p.56 / Chapter 4 --- Tomographic Denoising --- p.57 / Chapter 4.1 --- SURE-LET and PURE-LET denoising --- p.59 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- SURE-LET --- p.60 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- PURE-LET --- p.62 / Chapter 4.2 --- Experiment --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Experiment on SURE-LET Denoising --- p.65 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Experiment on PURE-LET Denoising --- p.69 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Conclusion --- p.76 / Chapter 5 --- Sinogram Retrieval --- p.77 / Chapter 5.1 --- Sinogram Retrieval Method --- p.78 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- MATLAB Radon Function --- p.79 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Subordinate Gradient (SG) Algorithm --- p.81 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Orthonormal Subordinate Gradient (OSG) Algorithm --- p.81 / Chapter 5.2 --- Experiment --- p.84 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Limitation of Sinogram Retrieval --- p.84 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Comparison of Sinogram Retrieval Algorithms --- p.86 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Embedded in Tomographic Reconstruction --- p.88 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Embedded in Tomographic Denoising --- p.90 / Chapter 5.3 --- Conclusion --- p.96 / Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.97 / Chapter 6.1 --- Summary --- p.97 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Tomographic Reconstruction --- p.97 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Tomographic Denoising --- p.98 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Sinogram Retrieval --- p.98 / Chapter 6.2 --- Future Research --- p.99 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Tomographic Reconstruction --- p.99 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Tomographic Denoising --- p.99 / Chapter 6.2.3 --- Sinogram Retrieval --- p.99 / Chapter A --- Examples of Radon Transform --- p.100 / Chapter B --- Experimental Phantom Image --- p.104 / Chapter C --- Results of sinogram retrieval experiments --- p.107 / Bibliography --- p.110

The Computer Tomography (CT) scanned images are very important for the Treatment Planning System (TPS) to provide the electron density of the different types of tissues that the radiation penetrates in the path to the tumor to be treated. This electron density is converted to an attenuation coefficient, which varies with tissue for each structure and even varies by the tissue volume. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the CT numbers, and convert them into relative electron densities. Twenty-five patients’ data and CT numbers were evaluated in the CT scanner and in Eclipse and were converted into relative electron density and compared with each other. The differences between the relative electron density in the Eclipse was found to be from 0 up to 6% between tissue equivalent materials, the final result for all equivalent tissue materials was about 2%. For the patients’ data, the percentage difference of CT number versus electron density was found to be high for high relative electron density organs, namely the final average result for the spine was 8%, less for pelvis, and less for rib while for the other organs it was even less. The very lowest was 0.3% compared with 1% which is acceptable for clinical standards. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The purpose of this thesis is to develop an optimized and effective iterative reconstruction algorithm and hardware acceleration methods that work synonymously together through reconstruction in proton computed tomography, which accurately maps the electron density.

Megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) and megavoltage cone beam computed tomography can be used for visualizing anatomical structures prior to radiation therapy treatments to assist in patient setup and target localization. These systems provide images using the same beam used for patient treatment, however their image contrast is limited by the low detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of the detectors currently available. By using higher DQE thick, segmented cadmium tungstate detectors we can improve the system contrast. This in turn would permit enhanced soft tissue visualization, allowing MVCT to be more useful. This thesis describes the evaluation of a prototype MVCT system that uses thick, segmented detectors. The system was found to be able to easily visualize a 15 mm diameter 1.5% contrast target with 2 cGy of radiation dose delivered. This system could become the basis for improved commercial MVCT systems. / Medical Physics

Thermoacoustic tomography (TAT) is a newly emerging modality in biomedical imaging. It combines the good contrast of electromagnetic and good resolution of ultrasound imaging. The mathematical model of TAT is the observability problem for the wave equation: one observes the data on a hyper-surface and reconstructs the initial perturbation. In this dissertation, we consider several mathematical problems of TAT. The first problem is the inversion formulas. We provide a family of closed form inversion formulas to reconstruct the initial perturbation from the observed data. The second problem is the range description. We present the range description of the spherical mean Radon transform, which is an important transform in TAT. The next problem is the stability analysis for TAT. We prove that the reconstruction of the initial perturbation from observed data is not H¨older stable if some observability condition is violated. The last problem is the speed determination. The question is whether the observed data uniquely determines the ultrasound speed and initial perturbation. We provide some initial results on this issue. They include the unique determination of the unknown constant speed, a weak local uniqueness, a characterization of the non-uniqueness, and a characterization of the kernel of the linearized operator.

Recent theoretical and experimental studies have demonstrated that an estimate of the Green's function between two hydrophones can be extracted passively from the cross‐correlation of ambient noise recorded at these two points. Hence monitoring the temporal evolution of these estimated Green's functions can provide a means for noise‐based acoustic tomography using a distributed sensor network. However, obtaining unbiased Green's function estimate requires a sufficiently spatially and temporally diffuse ambient noise field. Broadband ambient noise ([200 Hz-20 kHz]) was recorded continuously for 2 days during the SWAMSI09 experiment (next to Panama City, FL) using two moored vertical line arrays (VLAs) spanning 7.5m of the 20‐m water column and separated by 150 m. The feasibility of noise‐based acoustic tomography ([300-1000 Hz]) was assessed in this dynamic coastal environment over the whole recording period. Furthermore, coherent array processing of the computed ocean noise cross‐correlations between all pairwise combinations of hydrophones was used to separate acoustic variations between the VLAs caused by genuine environmental fluctuations-such as internal waves-from the apparent variations in the same coherent arrivals caused when the ambient noise field becomes strongly directional, e.g., due to an isolated ship passing in the vicinity of the VLAs.

published_or_final_version / Diagnostic Radiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Neutron radiography is a non-destructive analysis tool that complements X-ray transmission radiography. The use of neutrons provides the ability to image the interior of an object that has a metal core of steel or lead that would shield the interior from X-ray inspection. Neutron tomography is the use of a set of images of a single sample taken at various angles to produce a three dimensional rendition of the sample that greatly increases the effectiveness of neutron radiography as a non-destructive testing tool. A neutron radiography and tomography system has been built at the 1.1 MW TRIGA Mark II nuclear research reactor at The University of Texas at Austin in the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Lab. The Texas Neutron Imaging Facility is located on beam port five of the reactor and is housed in a shielding cave made of concrete to minimize radiation dose to users. The system itself integrates a sample positioning system and neutron sensitive camera through the use of a control code written in National Instruments Labview software. The code was written to increase the efficiency of the imaging process and to provide flexibility in the system. Precise sample positioning and timing of image acquisition provided by the code allows for the collection of data that can be used in computed tomography. The system has produced results in the form of radiographs and 3-D reconstructions of sample objects. / text