Research team
Expertise
I perform research on motion correction methods and image reconstruction for positron emission tomography (PET). Specifically, I develop motion tracking and reconstruction methods for brain PET scans experiments of awake/freely moving animals. These methods have also been adapted for motion tracking in human brain PET scans. In addition, I develop PET reconstruction approaches to improve image resolution. The raw PET tomographic data is processed and motion tracking algorithms are implemented to measure the motion of the subject during the PET study. Once the motion tracking data has been calculated, it is used in the PET motion correction reconstruction methods to obtain tomographic images without motion artifacts. I have performed brain PET scan experiments of awake rats, in which head motion tracking methods were developed and tested: Marker based optical motion tracking, markerless optical motion tracking, and radioactive point sources motion tracking were considered. The point source tracking method was also implemented in brain PET scans of freely running mice. The point source tracking method has been adapted to a dedicated human brain PET scanner to track the head motion of patients to reduce motion artefacts that occur during longer PET scan sessions.
Data-driven brain and heart PET imaging of awake rodents.
Abstract
Preclinical brain positron emission tomography (PET) is performed using anaesthetics to immobilize the animal. However, it has been shown that anaesthetics can influence brain function and the uptake of several PET tracers. To circumvent the use of anaesthesia, methods that track the motion of the animal head during the PET scan have been developed, which aid subsequent motion correction of the brain PET data. These methods rely on optical tracking cameras or on markers attached on the animal head to track the head motion. Therefore, the tracking procedure requires additional setup procedures in addition to the PET scan itself. To improve practicality and to reduce the additional setup to perform scans of awake rodents the minimum, we will validate and optimise a rodent head data-driven tracking technique in this project. This method requires no additional setup in addition to the PET scan, since the motion tracking is performed using the acquired PET data. Additionally, a torso motion tracking will be validated and optimised to perform heart motion correction reconstruction. The heart image can then be used to obtain the image derived input function to perform improved quantification with kinetic modelling. Rat and mice scans will be performed with different PET tracers to obtain data with different brain and body distributions, as well as different noise characteristics, to optimise the tracking algorithms. The methods developed here will serve to improve practicality of awake PET rodent scans, therefore facilitating adoption of the technique by the wider PET preclinical community. By circumventing the use of anaesthetics and their confounding effects on the animal physiology, translation of preclinical PET results to the clinic will be improved.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Miranda Menchaca Alan
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project