Biomedical Imaging of the Future

16 November 2004 Biomedical ImagingBMEN

Biomedical Imaging of the Future

Alvin T. Yeh

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Texas A&M University


Patient management and clinical care

• Qualitative observations

• Physical examinations

• Quality care Physician experience/expertise


Biomedical Imaging

• Extension of physician’s ability to observe

• Qualitative– morphological / structural– magnification– allow minimally invasive observations

• Clinical imaging standardsX-ray (CT), Ultrasound, MRI

biopsy (pathology)


Biomedical Imaging

• Existing Technologies

• Emerging Technologies

• Imaging in Early Detection

• Imaging in Therapy

• Informatics

• Education / Training

Image Guided Interventions

Maximize information content

Data management, analysis, interpretation


Existing Technologies

• Tissue / Organ Level

X-ray (CT), Ultrasound, MRI

radionuclide imaging (PET)– low information content

• (Sub)Cellular Level

Histology biopsy

Electron microscopy



• Technical advancements (tissue / organ level)– spatial and temporal resolution– image acquisition time– detectors– contrast

• Higher information content– functional, more specific

• fundamental understanding of disease• provide diagnosis more specific to development, selection,

evaluation of therapy



• Higher information content (cont’)– develop improved contrast enhancement

agents / probes• physiological processes

– dynamic

• Multi-modal imaging / combinatorial techniques

• Non-invasive

normal

disease


Emerging Technologies• Imaging at the Tissue / Organ Level

snapshots of organs or tissues over time– radionuclide imaging (PET)– fMRI, CT

• (Sub)cellular Level

anatomy, cell structure, histopathology of living tissue– Optical imaging

• fluorescence• optical probes / labels


Emerging Technologies

• Bioluminescence– real time monitoring in living animals

• tracking and monitoring infectious diseases / cancer metastasis

• drug delivery, efficacy – toxicology screening

– changing biologic experimental paradigm


Emerging Technologies

• High information content at high resolution– functionality / structure—function– vital indicators

• gene expression• ion concentration• metabolism• membrane potential

• Non-invasive, intravital imaging– serial biopsies


Molecular Imaging

• Imaging at the Molecular Level– cell function– metabolism– gene expression– drug and vector development / delivery– in vivo protein interactions– disease specific tracers and probes

• Molecular Probes / Contrast Agents


Molecular Imaging

• Develop molecular probes & contrast agents– links imaging modality with specific biological

processes

• Image specific molecular targets– capitalize on mapping of human genome

• Drug development– monitor drug delivery, validation & efficacy,

effects on biological target


Imaging for Early Detection of Disease

• Clinical Standards– PET, fMRI neurological disease– MRI cardiac function imaging

contrast enhanced imaging for breast and other cancers

– 3-D Ultrasound breast cancer

prenatal exams

heart function


Imaging for Early Detection of Disease

• Develop more specific imaging– fundamental understanding of disease– pinpoint signifying events in disease onset– genetic imaging / origin of disease

• Quantification of imaging– define biologic characteristics / parameters– standardization for comparison– monitor therapy & disease progression


Imaging in Therapy

• Exploit multiple (complementary) imaging modalities– diagnosis– position of lesion in 3-D– real time monitoring

• Image Guided Interventions

• Surgical computer aided design

• Distance Medicine


Image Guided Interventions

Use of real time images for guidance, navigation and orientation to reach a specific target for a minimally invasive patient encounter.


Image Guided Interventions• locate targets seamlessly across spatial scales• intra-operative, real time, 3-D image-guided navigation

for moving / deformable tissues / organs• full array of anatomical, molecular, functional imaging• multimodal image guidance w/ cellular resolution• trajectory planning using image guidance• plan, guide, affect, monitor treatment

Northwestern University


Image Guided Interventions• less invasive• efficient• assurance of procedure outcome

• cost• may add unnecessary complexity• images over interpreted unnecessary

procedures / over-diagnosis

fewer complicationsless normal tissue damage


Informatics

• collection and processing of imaging data for research / medicine

• manage large databases of patient information extract information


Informatics

• Methods for image analysis and segmentation

• Reconstruction methods– continuous across large spatial scales

3-D

4-D

• Coherent assemblage of massive amounts of data readily interpretable picture


Education and Training

• Multidisciplinary– chemistry, physics, (molecular) biology,

pharmacology, medicine, biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, radiology…

– principles of medical imaging, probe targeting /development, tracer methodologies, normal physiology, process of disease



• History: major advances in medical technology fundamental discoveries in basic sciences

• Biomedical Engineer – link various disciplines – navigate intellectual landscape

• Know something about everything – be an expert in something



• improve health– promoting fundamental discoveries, design and

development– translation and assessment of technological

capabilities in biomedical imaging and bioengineering

• translate fundamental or crosscutting discoveries and developments in information science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials science, computer sciences

Biomedical Imaging of the Future

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