Imaging technology

About: Imaging technology is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1450 publications have been published within this topic receiving 26186 citations.

Utilization of advanced imaging technologies for target delineation in radiation oncology.

Abstract: Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of advanced imaging technologies for target delineation among radiation oncologists in the United States. Methods A random sample of 1,600 radiation oncologists was contacted by Internet, e-mail, and fax and questioned regarding the use of advanced imaging technologies, clinical applications, and future plans for use. Advanced imaging technologies were defined as any of the following that were directly incorporated into radiation therapy planning: MRI, PET, single-photon emission CT, 4-D CT, functional MRI, and MR spectroscopy. Results Of 1,089 contactable physicians, 394 (36%) responded. Of respondents, 65% were in private practice and 35% were in academic practice. The proportion using any advanced imaging technology for target delineation was 95%. However, the majority reported only rare (in 18 F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET (76%), MRI (72%), and 4-D CT (44%). The most common cancers treated using image-guided target delineation were those of the lung (83%), central nervous system (79%), and head and neck (79%). Among users of advanced imaging technologies, 66% planned to increase use; 30% of nonusers planned to adopt these technologies in the future. Conclusions Advanced imaging technologies are widely used by US radiation oncologists for target delineation. Although the majority of respondents used them in

The impact of computer and imaging technology on stereotactic surgery.

Abstract: Computers, particularly medical imaging techniques, have created a renaissance in stereotactic surgery. Human stereotaxis was primarily developed and performed beginning in the 1940s for functional disorders. Interest waned in the 1960s following the introduction of L-dopa until computer-based three-dimensionally precise tomographic modalities (specifically computed tomography) were introduced beginning in the mid-1970s as a routine diagnostic aid. New image-compatible hardware and instrumentation were introduced along with techniques and associated software for relating points and volumes appearing on these diagnostic images into stereotactic space. This paper reviews the computer and imaging technology that has led to this renaissance and discusses some of the important features of a computer-interactive stereotactic system.

Flat-panel cone-beam CT: a novel imaging technology for image-guided procedures

Abstract: The use of flat-panel imagers for cone-beam CT signals the emergence of an attractive technology for volumetric imaging. Recent investigations demonstrate volume images with high spatial resolution and soft-tissue visibility and point to a number of logistical characteristics (e.g., open geometry, volume acquisition in a single rotation about the patient, and separation of the imaging and patient support structures) that are attractive to a broad spectrum of applications. Considering application to image-guided (IG) procedures - specifically IG therapies - this paper examines the performance of flat-panel cone-beam CT in relation to numerous constraints and requirements, including time (i.e., speed of image acquisition), dose, and field-of-view. The imaging and guidance performance of a prototype flat panel cone-beam CT system is investigated through the construction of procedure-specific tasks that test the influence of image artifacts (e.g., x-ray scatter and beam-hardening) and volumetric imaging performance (e.g., 3D spatial resolution, noise, and contrast) - taking two specific examples in IG brachytherapy and IG vertebroplasty. For IG brachytherapy, a procedure-specific task is constructed which tests the performance of flat-panel cone-beam CT in measuring the volumetric distribution of Pd-103 permanent implant seeds in relation to neighboring bone and soft-tissue structures in a pelvis phantom. For IG interventional procedures, a procedure-specific task is constructed in the context of vertebroplasty performed on a cadaverized ovine spine, demonstrating the volumetric image quality in pre-, intra-, and post-therapeutic images of the region of interest and testing the performance of the system in measuring the volumetric distribution of bone cement (PMMA) relative to surrounding spinal anatomy. Each of these tasks highlights numerous promising and challenging aspects of flat-panel cone-beam CT applied to IG procedures.

Clinical application of PET/MRI in oncology

Abstract: Hybrid imaging with integrated positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combines the advantages of the high-resolution anatomic data from MRI and functional imaging data from PET, and has the potential to improve the diagnostic evaluation of various types of cancers. The clinical oncologic applications of this newest hybrid imaging technology are evolving and substantial efforts are underway to define the role of PET/MRI in routine clinical use. The current published literature suggests that PET/MRI may play an important role in the evaluation of patients with certain types of malignancies, involving anatomic locations such as the pelvis and the liver. The purpose of this article is to review the current published PET/MRI literature in specific body oncologic applications. In addition, PET/MRI protocols and some of the technical issues of this hybrid imaging will be briefly discussed. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:265-276.