Osteoporosis is a bone degenerative disease characterized by reduced bone mass, quality and strength, along with changes in microarchitecture and increased incidence of fracture. The significant economic and social costs associated with osteoporotic fractures of the hip and spine have resulted in extensive research efforts directed towards developing an improved understanding of this disease, along with the relationships between osteoporotic bone degradation and fracture risk assessment. The current study investigates the failure behaviour of rat vertebral bodies collected from normal and osteoporotic donors based on the ovariectomized rat model (SHAM and OVX study groups, respectively), along with an additional control group intended to simulate postmenopausal patients with estrogen repletion (OVX+E study group). Simultaneous uniaxial compression testing and X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography (XμCT) were used to visualize and describe the failure behaviour of prepared vertebral body samples during mechanical testing, while providing standard measures of mechanical properties and bone geometry. In tandem with the incremental loading protocol required for simultaneous mechanical testing and XμCT imaging, a continuous loading protocol was also included. Three distinct failure behaviours were observed without bias in the three different study groups and two loading protocols. The primary and secondary failure modes involved fracture initiation in the direct vicinity of vascular apertures present in the dorsal surface of the cortical shell, with failure progression through the sample towards the ventral surface of the cortical shell (primary) or the cranial endplate (secondary). The tertiary failure mode involved localized rupture of the cranial endplate, likely resulting from end-effect related stress-concentrations. Diminished trabecular bone geometry (reduced BV/TV and Tb.N, along with increased Tb.Sp) was accompanied by reduced mechanical properties (reduced ultimate force and ultimate strength) in the OVX study group when compared with the SHAM and OVX+E study groups. Linear regression analyses revealed a shift in the determinants of failure initiation between the SHAM/OVX+E study groups and the OVX study group. In the SHAM and OVX+E study groups, ultimate force was best predicted by indices describing the vascular apertures present in the dorsal cortical shell. In the OVX study group, ultimate force was best predicted by indices describing trabecular bone geometry. / Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2013-11-21 19:07:38.661

<p>While it is well known that exposure to radiation can result in cataract formation, questions still remain about the presence of a dose threshold in radiation cataractogenesis. Since the exposure history from diagnostic CT exams is well documented in a patient’s medical record, the population of patients chronically exposed to radiation from head CT exams may be an interesting area to explore for further research in this area. However, there are some challenges in estimating lens dose from head CT exams. An accurate lens dosimetry model would have to account for differences in imaging protocols, differences in head size, and the use of any dose reduction methods.</p><p>The overall objective of this dissertation was to develop a comprehensive method to estimate radiation dose to the lens of the eye for patients receiving CT scans of the head. This research is comprised of a physics component, in which a lens dosimetry model was derived for head CT, and a clinical component, which involved the application of that dosimetry model to patient data. </p><p>The physics component includes experiments related to the physical measurement of the radiation dose to the lens by various types of dosimeters placed within anthropomorphic phantoms. These dosimeters include high-sensitivity MOSFETs, TLDs, and radiochromic film. The six anthropomorphic phantoms used in these experiments range in age from newborn to adult.</p><p>First, the lens dose from five clinically relevant head CT protocols was measured in the anthropomorphic phantoms with MOSFET dosimeters on two state-of-the-art CT scanners. The volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), which is a standard CT output index, was compared to the measured lens doses. Phantom age-specific CTDIvol-to-lens dose conversion factors were derived using linear regression analysis. Since head size can vary among individuals of the same age, a method was derived to estimate the CTDIvol-to-lens dose conversion factor using the effective head diameter. These conversion factors were derived for each scanner individually, but also were derived with the combined data from the two scanners as a means to investigate the feasibility of a scanner-independent method. Using the scanner-independent method to derive the CTDIvol-to-lens dose conversion factor from the effective head diameter, most of the fitted lens dose values fell within 10-15% of the measured values from the phantom study, suggesting that this is a fairly accurate method of estimating lens dose from the CTDIvol with knowledge of the patient’s head size.</p><p>Second, the dose reduction potential of organ-based tube current modulation (OB-TCM) and its effect on the CTDIvol-to-lens dose estimation method was investigated. The lens dose was measured with MOSFET dosimeters placed within the same six anthropomorphic phantoms. The phantoms were scanned with the five clinical head CT protocols with OB-TCM enabled on the one scanner model at our institution equipped with this software. The average decrease in lens dose with OB-TCM ranged from 13.5 to 26.0%. Using the size-specific method to derive the CTDIvol-to-lens dose conversion factor from the effective head diameter for protocols with OB-TCM, the majority of the fitted lens dose values fell within 15-18% of the measured values from the phantom study.</p><p>Third, the effect of gantry angulation on lens dose was investigated by measuring the lens dose with TLDs placed within the six anthropomorphic phantoms. The 2-dimensional spatial distribution of dose within the areas of the phantoms containing the orbit was measured with radiochromic film. A method was derived to determine the CTDIvol-to-lens dose conversion factor based upon distance from the primary beam scan range to the lens. The average dose to the lens region decreased substantially for almost all the phantoms (ranging from 67 to 92%) when the orbit was exposed to scattered radiation compared to the primary beam. The effectiveness of this method to reduce lens dose is highly dependent upon the shape and size of the head, which influences whether or not the angled scan range coverage can include the entire brain volume and still avoid the orbit.</p><p>The clinical component of this dissertation involved performing retrospective patient studies in the pediatric and adult populations, and reconstructing the lens doses from head CT examinations with the methods derived in the physics component. The cumulative lens doses in the patients selected for the retrospective study ranged from 40 to 1020 mGy in the pediatric group, and 53 to 2900 mGy in the adult group.</p><p>This dissertation represents a comprehensive approach to lens of the eye dosimetry in CT imaging of the head. The collected data and derived formulas can be used in future studies on radiation-induced cataracts from repeated CT imaging of the head. Additionally, it can be used in the areas of personalized patient dose management, and protocol optimization and clinician training.</p> / Dissertation

BAKGRUND: En datortomograf (DT) är uppbyggd av ett röntgenrör och flertalet detektorer, röntgenröret sänder ut joniserande strålning. Barn som utsätts för joniserande strålning under en datortomografiundersökning har en förhöjd risk för strålningsinducerad cancer under en livstid. Det är nödvändigt för röntgensjuksköterskan att ha god kännedom om åtgärder som kan reducera stråldos utan att riskera bildkvaliteten.  SYFTE: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva åtgärder för att reducera stråldos med diagnostiskt accepterad bildkvalitet för barn som genomgår datortomografiundersökning.  METOD: Nio kvantitativa studier inkluderades i litteraturstudien. Studierna kvalitetsgranskades och resultaten sammanställdes enligt en modell av Friberg. Databaser som användes för sökningen var Pubmed och Scopus.  RESULTAT: Iterativa rekonstruktioner upprätthåller övergripande bildkvalitet utan att full dos används. En väl avvägd positionering och centring samt automatisk exponeringskontroll, minskning av kilovolt och milliampere*sekunder kan reducera stråldosen till barnet med diagnostisk accepterad bildkvalitet. Åtgärderna i relation med varandra påverkar bildkvaliteten och stråldosen.  KONKLUSION: Röntgensjuksköterskan kan reducera stråldosen till barnet och bidra till minskad risk för strålinducerad cancer. Att ändra parametrarna påverkar bildkvaliteten vilket gör att detta ej kan göras oaktsamt.

Characterizing the full range of damage and plastic behaviour of asphalt mixtures under varying strain-rates and stress states is a complex and challenging task. One reason for this  is partly due to the strain rate and temperature dependent nature of the material as well as the variation in the properties of the constituent materials that make up the composite asphalt mixture. Existing stress-based models for asphalt concrete materials are developed based on mechanics principles, but these models are, however, limited in their application for actual pavement analysis and design since rate dependency parameters are needed in the constitutive model to account for the influence of the strain rate on the stress-based yield and evolution criteria. Till date, we are yet to arrive at simple and comprehensive constitutive models that can be used to model the behaviour of asphalt mixture over a wide range of strain-rate which is experienced in the actual pavement sections. The aim of this thesis is to develop an increased understanding of the strength and deformation mechanism of asphalt mixtures through multi-scale modeling and to develop simple and comprehensive continuum models to characterize the non-linear behaviour of the material under varying stress-states and conditions. An analysis framework is developed for the evaluation of the influence of asphalt mixture morphology on its mechanical properties and response using X-Ray CT and digital image processing techniques. The procedure developed in the analysis framework is then used to investigate the existence of an invariant critical energy threshold for meso-crack initiation which serves as the basis for the development of a theory for the development of energy-based damage and plastic deformation models for asphalt mixtures. A new energy-based viscoelastic damage model is developed and proposed based on continuum damage mechanics (CDM) and the thermodynamics of irreversible processes. A second order damage variable tensor is introduced to account for the distributed damage in the material in the different principal damage directions. In this way, the material response in tension and compression can be decoupled and the effects of both tension- and compression stress states on the material behaviour can be accounted for adequately. Based on the finding from the energy-based damage model, an equivalent micro-crack stress approach is developed and proposed for the damage and fracture characterization of asphalt mixtures. The effective micro-crack stress approach takes account of the material stiffness and a critical energy threshold for micro-crack initiation in the characterization of damage and fracture properties of the mixture. The effective micro-crack stress approach is developed based on fundamental mechanics principles and it reduces to the Griffith's energy balance criterion when purely elastic materials are considered without the need for the consideration of the surface energy and a crack size in the determination of the fracture stress. A new Continuum Plasticity Mechanics (CPM) model is developed within the framework of thermodynamics to describe the plastic behaviour of asphalt concrete material with energy-based criteria derived for the initiation and evolution of plastic deformation. An internal state variable termed the "plasticity variable" is introduced to described the distributed dislocation movement in the microstructure. The CPM model unifies aspects of existing elasto-plastic and visco-plastic theories in one theory and shows particular strength in the modeling of rate-dependent plastic behaviour of materials without the need for the consideration of rate dependency parameters in the constitutive relationships. The CPM model is further extended to consider the reduction in the stiffness properties with incremental loading and to develop a unified energy-based damage and plasticity model. The models are implemented in a Finite Element (FE) analysis program for the validation of the models. The result shows that the energy-based damage and plastic deformation models are capable of predicting the behaviour of asphalt concrete mixtures under varying stress-states and strain-rate conditions. The work in this thesis provides the basis for the development of more fundamental understanding of the asphalt concrete material response and the application of sound and solid mechanics principles in the analysis and design of pavement structures. / En heltäckande karakterisering av skador och plastiska beteende hos asfaltblandningar under varierande belastningshastighet och spänningstillstånd är en komplex och svår uppgift. En orsak till detta är relaterat till materialets belastningshastighet- och temperaturberoende, såväl som variationen i materialegenskaperna hos de ingående komponenterna i den sammansatta asfaltblandningen. Befintliga spänningsbaserade modeller för asfaltbetongmaterial är utvecklade baserade på mekanikprinciper, men dessa modeller är begränsade när det gäller analys och design av verkliga asfaltsbeläggningar eftersom hastighetsberoende parametrar behövs i den konstitutiva modellen även med hänsyn till töjningshastighetens inverkan på kriterier för gränser och utveckling av spänningstillstånd. Det finns därför behov av att utveckla enkla men ändå heltäckande konstitutiva modeller som kan användas för att modellera beteendet hos asfaltmassan över ett brett spektrum av belastningshastigheter för olika av sektioner asfaltsbeläggningar. Syftet med denna avhandling är att öka förståelsen av hållfasthets- och deformationsmekanismer för asfaltblandningar genom multi-modellering. Målet är att utveckla enkla och heltäckande kontinuummodeller som karakteriserar materialets olinjära beteende under varierande spänningstillstånd och betingelser. Ett analysramverk har utvecklats för utvärdering av påverkan av asfaltmassans morfologi på dess mekaniska egenskaper och beteende med hjälp av röntgendatortomografi och digital bildbehandlingsteknik. Detta förfarande har sedan använts för att undersöka förekomsten av inneboende kritiska tröskelvärden för brottenergin för mesosprickinitiering vilket i sin tur ligger till grund för utvecklingen av en teori för modellering av energibaserade skador och plastisk deformation hos asfaltblandningar. En ny energidensitet baserad viskoelastisk skademodell utvecklas och föreslås utgå från kontinuum-skade-mekanik (CDM) och termodynamik för irreversibla processer. En andra ordningens skadevariabeltensor införs för att ta hänsyn till  skadedistributionen i materialen i de olika principiella skaderiktningarna. På detta sätt kan materialets respons i drag- och tryckbelastning separeras och effekterna av spänningstillstånd i både drag och tryck kan beaktas på ett adekvat sätt. Baserat på resultaten från den energibaserade skademodellen utvecklas och föreslås en motsvarande metod för mikrosprickspänning gällande skade- och brottkarakteriseringen av asfaltblandningar. Metoden för den effektiva mikrosprickspänningen tar hänsyn till materialets styvhet och en kritisk tröskelenergi för mikrosprickinitiering för karakteriseringen av skador och brottegenskaper hos blandningen. Denna metod är utvecklad baserat på grundläggande mekanikprinciper och kan för rent elastiska material reduceras till Griffiths energibalanskriterium utan hänsyn till ytenergi och sprickstorlek vid bestämningen av brottspänningen. En ny termodynamikbaserad modell för kontinuumplasticitetsmekanik (CPM) utvecklas för att beskriva det plastiska beteendet hos asfaltbetongmaterial med energibaserade kriterier härledda för initiering och progression av plastisk deformation. En intern tillståndsvariabel kallad "plasticitetvariabeln" införs för att beskriva den fördelade dislokationsrörelsen i mikrostrukturen. CPM-modellen förenar befintliga elasto-plastiska och visko-plastiska teorier i en teori och visar sig vara särskilt effektiv i modelleringen av hastighetsberoende plastiskt beteende hos material utan att behöva beakta hastighetsberoende parametrar i de konstitutiva sambanden. CPM-modellen utvidgas ytterligare för att kunna beakta reduktionen av styvheten med stegvis ökad belastning och för att utveckla en enhetlig energibaserad skade- och plasticitetmodell. Modellerna är implementerade i ett finit element (FE)-analysprogram för validering av modellerna. Resultatet visar att de energibaserade modellerna för skador och plastisk deformation kan förutsäga beteendet hos asfaltbetongblandningar under varierande spänningstillstånd och töjningshastighetsförhållanden. Arbetet i denna avhandling utgör grunden för utvecklingen av mer grundläggande förståelse av asfaltbetongmaterialets respons och tillämpningen av sunda och robusta mekanikprinciper i analys och design av asfaltstrukturer. / <p>QC 20161220</p>

Einleitung: Der frühzeitigen Detektion pulmonaler Rundherde kommt eine Schlüsselrolle bei neoplastischen Erkrankungen von Hund und Katze zu, indem sie maßgeblich Prognose und Behandlungsoptionen beeinflusst. Ziel unserer ersten Studie war, die aktuelle diagnostische Wertigkeit und mögliche Limitationen der klassischen Röntgenuntersuchung bei der Detektion pulmonaler Rundherde darzustellen. Unsere zweite Untersuchung beschäftigt sich mit dem Ziel der computerassistierten Detektion (CAD) und deren Einsatz in der Tiermedizin. Material und Methoden: Der Untersuchungszeitraum umfasste die Jahre 2005–2011. In die erste Studie wurden Hunde und Katzen mit pulmonalen Rundherden aufgenommen, an denen zunächst eine klassische Röntgenuntersuchung und anschließend innerhalb von 14 Tagen eine computertomographische Untersuchung (CT) durchgeführt wurde. Neben der Darstellung möglicher Limitationen der klassischen Röntgenuntersuchung wurde auch deren Sensitivität hinsichtlich des Vorliegens pulmonaler Rundherde im Vergleich zur CT als Goldstandard untersucht. Gemäß den Einschlusskriterien wurden 50 Hunde und 20 Katzen in die erste Studie aufgenommen. Die zweite Untersuchung beschäftigt sich mit der Sensitivität eines computerassistierten Detektionssystems sowie dessen möglichen Mehrgewinns für den Radiologen bei der Detektion pulmonaler Rundherde in der Tiermedizin. Darüber hinaus wurden die möglichen Limitationen eines solchen Systems untersucht. In die Untersuchung wurden nicht nur Tiere mit Rundherden eingeschlossen, sondern auch solche mit Massen (Herde größer 3 cm). Ausgeschlossen waren Patienten mit mehr als 50 Rundherden pro Lungenhälfte sowie Rundherde/Massen, die vollständig in Atelektasen eingebettet waren. Gemäß den Einschlusskriterien wurden bei 51 Hunden und 16 Katzen insgesamt 586 Rundherde als Referenzwert für die CAD zugrunde gelegt. Ergebnisse: Als ein Ergebnis aus der vorliegenden ersten Studie zeigt sich für die Projektionsradiographie eine Detektionsrate von insgesamt 61 % (64 % für Hunde und 55 % für Katzen) verglichen mit der CT als Goldstandard. Gründe für eine fehlende Detektion liegen vor allem darin, dass die Röntgenuntersuchung im Ergebnis ein Summationsbild liefert. Daneben spielt auch die Rundherdgröße eine (untergeordnete) Rolle. Das in der zweiten Studie eingesetzte Detektionssystem zur computerassistierten Detektion pulmonaler Rundherde wies für die Tiermedizin eine Sensitivität von 69,4 % auf. Gleichzeitig wurde eine hohe Anzahl falsch positiver sowie falsch negativer Befunde durch die CAD verzeichnet. Dennoch ließ sich durch den Einsatz der CAD die Sensitivität von Untersucher 1 von 89,2 % auf 94,7 % steigern, die von Untersucher 2 von 87,4 % auf 90,8 %. Schlussfolgerungen: Aufgrund der engen Einschlusskriterien dieser Studie kann für die Detektion pulmonaler Rundherde in der Projektionsradiographie als Mindestwert die hier ermittelte durchschnittliche Sensitivität von 61 % zugrunde gelegt werden. Die klassische Röntgenuntersuchung eignet sich weiterhin als erstes bildgebendes Verfahren für die pulmonale Rundherddetektion, für ein genaues Staging sollte allerdings die CT angewandt werden. Für eine fehlende Rundherddetektion war nicht primär die geringe Größe der Rundherde ursächlich, sondern vielmehr Begleiterkrankungen, die mit einer Transparenzminderung der Lunge einhergingen. Daher sollte insbesondere dann die CT zum Einsatz kommen, wenn zusätzliche Veränderungen wie beispielsweise ein Pleuraerguss vorliegen. Für die Detektion pulmonaler Rundherde in der CT-Untersuchung gilt, dass die Sensitivität des Radiologen grundsätzlich durch ein automatisches Detektionssystem gesteigert werden kann. Somit eignet es sich insbesondere dann, wenn kein zweiter radiologischer Befunder vorhanden ist. Allerdings weist die CAD eine sehr hohe Anzahl falsch positiver sowie einige falsch negative Befunde auf, so dass sich für ihren routinemäßigen Einsatz in der Tiermedizin derzeit noch Limitationen ergeben. / Introduction: The early detection of pulmonary nodules plays a key role in neoplastic conditions of dogs and cats substantially influencing prognosis and therapy options. The aim of our first study was to outline the actual diagnostic value as well as the potential limitations of projection radiography for detection of pulmonary nodules. Our second study addresses the newer aspect of computer assisted detection (CAD) and its possible application in veterinary medicine. Materials and methods: The investigation period was between 2005 and 2011. In our first study we included those dogs and cats with pulmonary nodules that underwent a radiographic examination as well as a computed tomographic examination (CT) within a period of 14 days. Aside from the description of possible limitations of projection radiography, we also evaluated its sensitivity for detection of pulmonary nodules compared to CT as gold standard. According to the inclusion criteria 50 dogs and 20 cats were admitted to this study. The second study dealt with the sensitivity of a computer assisted detection system and its potential benefit for radiologists for the detection of pulmonary nodules in veterinary medicine. Furthermore, we outlined possible limitations of the detection system. This study not only comprised dogs and cats with pulmonary nodules, but also those with pulmonary masses (i.e. nodules > 3 cm). We excluded patients with more than 50 nodules either in the right or the left lung as well as nodules/masses embedded in a massive atelectasis. According to our inclusion criteria, we determined 586 nodules in total, distributed on 51 dogs and 16 cats used as reference value for the CAD. Results: As one result of our first study, we found a detection rate of 61 % (64 % for dogs and 55 % for cats) for projection radiography in comparison to CT as gold standard. Reasons for a missing detection of pulmonary nodules are predominantly limitations that come along with superimpositions using projection radiography; apart from that, nodule size is of some subsidiary meaning. The detection system for the computer assisted detection of pulmonary nodules used in the second study showed a sensitivity of 69.4 % in veterinary medicine. Additionally a high number of false positive findings as well as false negative findings was detected by CAD. However, due to the use of CAD the sensitivity of examiner 1 increased from 89.2 % to 94.7 %, the sensitivity of examiner 2 increased from 87.4 % to 90.8 %. Conclusions: Based on the strict inclusion criterion in this study the average sensitivity of 61 % can be used as a minimum for the detection of pulmonary nodules using radiographs. Projection radiography is suitable as first line diagnostic tool for the detection of pulmonary nodules. For accurate tumor staging CT should be used. Since predominant reasons for a missing detection of pulmonary nodules consisted of limitations that come along with superimpositions (like pleural effusion) CT is especially recommended in those cases. In general, the sensitivity of radiologists can be improved by an automatic detection system concerning the detection of pulmonary nodules using CT. Especially in those cases, when no second reader is available, CAD is suitable. However, the CAD system we used herein yielded a high number of false positive findings as well as false negative findings; therefore, its use in veterinary medicine on a routine basis still has some limitations.

Statistical iterative reconstruction (SIR) algorithms for x-ray computed tomography (CT) have the potential to reconstruct images with less noise and systematic error than the conventional filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm. More accurate reconstruction algorithms are important for reducing imaging dose and for a wide range of quantitative CT applications. The work presented herein investigates some potential advantages of one such statistically motivated algorithm called Alternating Minimization (AM). A simulation study is used to compare the tradeoff between noise and resolution in images reconstructed with the AM and FBP algorithms. The AM algorithm is employed with an edge-preserving penalty function, which is shown to result in images with contrast-dependent resolution. The AM algorithm always reconstructed images with less image noise than the FBP algorithm. Compared to previous studies in the literature, this is the first work to clearly illustrate that the reported noise advantage when using edge-preserving penalty functions can be highly dependent on the contrast of the object used for quantifying resolution. A polyenergetic version of the AM algorithm, which incorporates knowledge of the scanner’s x-ray spectrum, is then commissioned from data acquired on a commercially available CT scanner. Homogeneous cylinders are used to assess the absolute accuracy of the polyenergetic AM algorithm and to compare systematic errors to conventional FBP reconstruction. Methods to estimate the x-ray spectrum, model the bowtie filter and measure scattered radiation are outlined which support AM reconstruction to within 0.5% of the expected ground truth. The polyenergetic AM algorithm reconstructs the cylinders with less systematic error than FBP, in terms of better image uniformity and less object-size dependence. Finally, the accuracy of a post-processing dual-energy CT (pDECT) method to non-invasively measure a material’s photon cross-section information is investigated. Data is acquired on a commercial scanner for materials of known composition. Since the pDECT method has been shown to be highly sensitive to reconstructed image errors, both FBP and polyenergetic AM reconstruction are employed. Linear attenuation coefficients are estimated with residual errors of around 1% for energies of 30 keV to 1 MeV with errors rising to 3%-6% at lower energies down to 10 keV. In the ideal phantom geometry used here, the main advantage of AM reconstruction is less random cross-section uncertainty due to the improved noise performance.

Pre-surgical planning for endodontic microsurgery is facilitated by the use of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The purpose of this study was to determine whether limited field CBCT accurately predicts buccal cortical plate perforations due to endodontic lesions. Thirty-five roots that underwent microsurgical root end resection were included in this study. Prior to the surgery, 90 voxel CBCTs were taken with a Carestream 9300. The scans were analyzed by an endodontic resident and oral radiologist to determine the presence of a perforation in the buccal plate. These findings were compared to the clinical appearance of the bone. There was a significant relationship between a judgment of perforation made on the basis of CBCT and actual perforation as observed clinically. The CBCT prediction was accurate 83% of the time. A predicted perforation was validated in 88% of the instances and a predicted non-perforation was validated in 75% of the instances.

BACKGROUND: Clinicians rely on radiographs and clinical exam to assess infrabony defects. However, two-dimensional radiographs have many limitations. Three-dimensional imaging has shown promise and has provided more precise measurements of defects created in skulls. The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic efficacy of cone beam computed tomography to clinical measurements in patients presenting with infrabony defects. METHODS: The study population included 20 patients with 25 infrabony defects. Clinical measurements of pocket depth (PD), gingival margin (GM), bone sounding (BS) were obtained and PD and BS were compared to CBCT measurements. RESULTS: The average difference between the means of measurements obtained by BS and by CBCT was 1.08mm with BS always being the greater value. BS measurement was statistically significantly different with p<0.05 from CAL and CBCT values. CONCLUSION: The CBCT provided measurements that are on average 1.08mm smaller than bone sounding measurements.

Accounting for respiration motion during imaging helps improve targeting precision in radiation therapy. Respiratory motion can be a major source of error in determining the position of thoracic and upper abdominal tumor targets during radiotherapy. Thus, extracting respiratory motion is a key task in radiation therapy planning. Respiration-correlated or four-dimensional CT (4DCT) imaging techniques have been recently integrated into imaging systems for verifying tumor position during treatment and managing respiration-induced tissue motion. The quality of the 4D reconstructed volumes is highly affected by the respiratory signal extracted and the phase sorting method used. This thesis is divided into two parts. In the first part, two image-based respiratory signal extraction methods are proposed and evaluated. Those methods are able to extract the respiratory signals from CBCT images without using external sources, implanted markers or even dependence on any structure in the images such as the diaphragm. The first method, called Local Intensity Feature Tracking (LIFT), extracts the respiratory signal depending on feature points extracted and tracked through the sequence of projections. The second method, called Intensity Flow Dimensionality Reduction (IFDR), detects the respiration signal by computing the optical flow motion of every pixel in each pair of adjacent projections. Then, the motion variance in the optical flow dataset is extracted using linear and non-linear dimensionality reduction techniques to represent a respiratory signal. Experiments conducted on clinical datasets showed that the respiratory signal was successfully extracted using both proposed methods and it correlates well with standard respiratory signals such as diaphragm position and the internal markers’ signal. In the second part of this thesis, 4D-CBCT reconstruction based on different phase sorting techniques is studied. The quality of the 4D reconstructed images is evaluated and compared for different phase sorting methods such as internal markers, external markers and image-based methods (LIFT and IFDR). Also, a method for generating additional projections to be used in 4D-CBCT reconstruction is proposed to reduce the artifacts that result when reconstructing from an insufficient number of projections. Experimental results showed that the feasibility of the proposed method in recovering the edges and reducing the streak artifacts.

This document deals with the pre-processing and the segmentation of human vertebrae from computed tomography 3D image data. It describes image registration and segmentation methods concretely and commonly used in image data processing during the automated spine canal localization process and the localization of each vertebrae centroid. The 3D deformable model development is described in the work together with the introduction to the previous state of art and the progress of vertebrae segmentation using 3D deformable models registration. This work presents the evaluation of the accuracy and the reliability from the segmentation and localization results.