Contrast Resolution Research Articles

Head‐to‐Head comparison between Philips Gemini TF64 and Siemens Biograph Vision 600 for brain amyloid Centiloid quantitation

AbstractBackgroundThe Centiloid (CL) scale calibrates the beta‐amyloid (Aβ) deposition from different PET tracers to a standardised 0‐100 CL unit scale. As imaging sites update their PET cameras, most are switching to digital detector systems with superior resolution and sensitivity that may affect quantitation. This has significant implications for dementia clinical trials. In this study, we examine the impact on CL quantification between Philips Gemini TF64 and Siemens Biograph Vision 600.MethodSeven subjects (76.4±2.2 yo) were imaged with 18F‐NAV4694 on both Gemini TF64 and Biograph Vision consecutively with an average scan interval of 25.1±11.2 weeks. The injected doses were 200MBq and 100MBq, respectively. On the Gemini TF64, the PET images were reconstructed by LOR‐RAMLA algorithm with smoothing parameter setup as ‘SHARP’. On Biograph Vision, the PET images were reconstructed by OSEM‐3D (8 iterations and 5 subsets, TOF enabled) with 3mm post Gaussian smoothing. A T1 MRI image was acquired for each subject. As per the standard Centiloid method the whole cerebellum was used as the reference in SUVR images, and all images were processed using CapAIBL to calculate the CL using both MR‐based and MR‐Less spatial normalisation.ResultFigure 1 shows the CL images of a subject scanned on Gemini TF64 and Biograph Vision within sixteen weeks. The Biograph Vision images have higher contrast and higher spatial resolution despite using half of the dose. Figure 2 shows the linear regression plot of the scanner comparison. Biograph Vision CL are progressively higher than those obtained from the Gemini TF64 as the CL value rises (Table 1). There were no significant differences between the MR‐based and MR‐less results.ConclusionBiograph Vision yields higher SUVR and therefore CL values compared to Gemini TF64 in a head‐to‐head comparison. These results show that the selection of PET camera has a significant impact on CL quantification, which needs to be considered when merging cohorts from different studies or changing cameras during longitudinal studies or trials. These initial results indicate that the CL difference could be corrected by a linear transform.

Effect of the Small Field of View and Imaging Parameters to Image Quality and Dose Calculation in Adaptive Radiotherapy

Abstract Background The use of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for dose calculation in adaptive radiotherapy has been investigated in many studies. Proper acquisition and reconstruction of preset parameters could improve the accuracy of dose calculation based on CBCT images. This study evaluated the impact of the modified image acquisition and preset reconstruction parameter available in X-Ray Volumetric Imaging (XVI) to improve CBCT image quality and dose calculation accuracy. Materials and methods Calibration curves were generated by scanning the CIRS phantom using CBCT XVI Elekta 5.0.4 and Computed Tomography (CT) Simulator Somatom, which served as CT image reference. Rando and Catphan 503 phantoms were scanned with various acquisition and reconstruction parameters for dose accuracy and image quality tests. The image quality test is uniformity, low contrast visibility, spatial resolution, and geometrical scale test for each image by following the XVI image quality test module. Results Acquisition and reconstruction parameters have an impact on the Hounsfield Unit (HU) value that is used as the HU-Relative Electron Density (RED) calibration curve. The dose difference for all the calibration curves was within 1% and passed the gamma passing rate. Images acquired using 120 kVp, F1 (with Bowtie Filter), and 50 mA (F1-120-50-10) scored the highest Gamma Index (GI) of 98.5%. For the image quality test, it scored 1.20% on the uniformity test, 2.14% on the low contrast visibility test, and 11 lp/cm on the spatial resolution test. However, F1-120-50-10 reconstructed with different reconstructions scored 3.83% and 4 lp/cm in contrast and spatial resolution test, respectively. Conclusion CBCT reconstruction parameters work as a scatter correction. It could improve the dose accuracy and image quality. Nevertheless, without adequate CBCT acquisition protocols, it would produce an image with high uncertainty and cannot be fixed with reconstruction protocols. The F1-120-50-10 protocols generate the highest dose accuracy and image quality.

ISUOG Practice Guidelines (updated): fetal cardiac screening.

ISUOG Practice Guidelines (updated): fetal cardiac screening.

A novel beam stopper-based approach for scatter correction in digital planar radiography

X-ray scatter in planar radiography degrades the contrast resolution of the image, thus reducing its diagnostic utility. Antiscatter grids partially block scattered photons at the cost of increasing the dose delivered by two- to four-fold and posing geometrical restrictions that hinder their use for other acquisition settings, such as portable radiography. The few software-based approaches investigated for planar radiography mainly estimate the scatter map from a low-frequency version of the image. We present a novel method for scatter correction in planar imaging based on direct patient measurements. Samples from the shadowed regions of an additional partially obstructed projection acquired with a beam stopper placed between the X-ray source and the patient are used to estimate the scatter map. Evaluation with simulated and real data showed an increase in contrast resolution for both lung and spine and recovery of ground truth values superior to those of three recently proposed methods. Our method avoids the biases of post-processing methods and yields results similar to those for an antiscatter grid while removing geometrical restrictions at around half the radiation dose. It can be used in unconventional imaging techniques, such as portable radiography, where training datasets needed for deep-learning approaches would be very difficult to obtain.

Ultrasound Fusion: Applications in Musculoskeletal Imaging.

Ultrasound fusion is an established technique that pairs real time B-scan ultrasound (US) with other forms of cross-sectional imaging, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). Each of these imaging modalities has distinct advantages. CT provides superior anatomic resolution, with improved imaging of bone and calcified structures; MRI has superior contrast resolution; and PET provides physiologic information, identifying processes that are metabolically active (i.e., tumor, inflammatory conditions). However, these modalities are static. A key highlight of ultrasound is its capability of dynamic, real-time scanning. The ability to pair CT, MRI or PET with ultrasound can have significant advantages, both in diagnostic evaluation and when performing difficult or challenging image-guided interventions. Percutaneous interventions using ultrasound fusion have been described in the abdominal imaging literature; however, there have been very few musculoskeletal applications detailed in the literature. The purpose of this article is to review the basic concepts of real-time ultrasound fusion, and to detail, through the use of multiple case examples, its potential use as a safe and effective method for performing image-guided musculoskeletal interventions.

Comparison of image quality of 3D ultrasound: motorized acquisition versus freehand navigated acquisition, a phantom study

PurposeIntra-operative assessment of resection margins during oncological surgery is a field that needs improvement. Ultrasound (US) shows the potential to fulfill this need, but this imaging technique is highly operator-dependent. A 3D US image of the whole specimen may remedy the operator dependence. This study aims to compare and evaluate the image quality of 3D US between freehand acquisition (FA) and motorized acquisition (MA).MethodsMultiple 3D US volumes of a commercial phantom were acquired in motorized and freehand fashion. FA images were collected with electromagnetic navigation. An integrated algorithm reconstructed the FA images. MA images were stacked into a 3D volume. The image quality is evaluated following the metrics: contrast resolution, axial and elevation resolution, axial and elevation distance calibration, stability, inter-operator variability, and intra-operator variability. A linear mixed model determined statistical differences between FA and MA for these metrics.ResultsThe MA results in a statistically significant lower error of axial distance calibration (p < 0.0001) and higher stability (p < 0.0001) than FA. On the other hand, the FA has a better elevation resolution (p < 0.003) than the MA.ConclusionMA results in better image quality of 3D US than the FA method based on axial distance calibration, stability, and variability. This study suggests acquiring 3D US volumes for intra-operative ex vivo margin assessment in a motorized fashion.

Enhancing optical contrast of sub-wavelength optical image using graphene oxide coated probe in scanning thermal microscopy

Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) is a powerful technique for obtaining local thermal information on a sample surface using a nano-fabricated thermometer probe. One important application of SThM is sub-wavelength optical imaging, which captures the photothermal response of the probe to light. In this nano-scale imaging technique, optical contrast and spatial resolution are critical performance indicators. The size and material of the thermometer probe play a significant role in determining image quality, as a smaller radius can improve spatial resolution but reduce optical contrast and sensitivity due to decreased light absorption. To address this challenge, we have developed an approach to improve the photothermal energy conversion efficiency by coating the probe with atomically thin graphene oxide (GO). Our results demonstrate that this GO coating can enhance optical sensitivity by more than 1.5 times with linear optical power dependency. Importantly, the coating significantly improves the root mean square contrast of the image by 2.56 times without compromising spatial resolution. Our study highlights the potential of GO-coated probes to improve the sensitivity and quality of SThM-based sub-wavelength optical imaging.

68Ga-DOTATATE PET in Restaging and Response to Therapy in Neuroblastoma: A Case Series and a Mini Review.

68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT is widely used for the evaluation of neuroendocrine tumors. Some reports exist on its use in the management of neuroblastoma. Building on the prior reports as well as our previous experience in using this technique for initial staging, we propose to describe its practical benefits in restaging and response to therapy. We describe different aspects including supply logistics, preparation, spatial resolution, and other practical applications. Methods: We reviewed the medical records for 8 patients who were evaluated with 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT at our institution over 2 y. A note was made of the patient and disease characteristics and the indication for PET imaging, and the results were retrospectively analyzed for feasibility, logistics, radiation exposure, and utility in answering the clinical question. Results: Eight children (5 girls and 3 boys; age range, 4-60 mo; median age, 30 mo) diagnosed with neuroblastoma were imaged with 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT and 5 with 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) SPECT/CT over 2 y. Three 68Ga-DOTATATE PET scans were done for staging, 10 for response evaluation, and 2 for restaging. 68Ga-DOTATATE PET accurately identified neuroblastoma lesions suspected or seen on anatomic imaging. It has been shown to be more specific and more sensitive than 123I-MIBG and at times also MRI. It had better spatial and contrast resolution than 123I-MIBG. 68Ga-DOTATATE PET was better than 123I-MIBG SPECT/CT, CT, and MRI in the detection of early progression and viable tumor delineation for response assessment, as well as in target volume definition for external-beam radiotherapy and proton-beam radiotherapy. 68Ga-DOTATATE PET was also better at assessing bony and bone marrow disease changes with time. Conclusion: 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT offers added value and a superior edge to other imaging modalities in restaging and response assessment in neuroblastoma patients. Further multicenter evaluations in larger cohorts are needed.

What you need to know about: imaging in patients with renal failure.

Contrast-enhanced medical imaging is commonly requested in clinical practice. Contrast media provide better differentiation of tissue enhancement, improves the soft tissue contrast resolution, and enhances the ability to study the physiology and function of the organs and/or systems. However, contrast media may cause complications, especially in patients with renal failure. This article discusses the use of contrast media in common imaging modalities and the relationship between contrast media and renal function. Administration of iodinated contrast media in computed tomography may cause contrast-associated acute kidney injury; the risk factors and preventive strategies for this are elaborated in this article. Administration of gadolinium-based contrast media in magnetic resonance imaging may lead to nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. Therefore, precautions should be taken when planning for medical imaging for patients with pre-existing acute kidney injury or end-stage chronic kidney disease, for whom contrast media administration in computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be relatively contraindicated. Alternatively, ultrasound contrast agents can be safely used in patients with acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease. Clinical teams should discuss these patients with radiologists, taking into account the risk-benefits of contrast media, to determine the optimal imaging protocol or modality to answer the clinical query.

Fast Beamforming Method for Plane Wave Compounding Based on Beamspace Adaptive Beamformer and Delay-Multiply-and-Sum.

Although the use of coherent plane wave compounding is a promising technique for enabling the attainment of very high frame rate imaging, it achieves relatively low image quality because of data-independent reconstruction. Adaptive beamformers rather than delay-and-sum (DAS) conventional techniques have been proposed to improve the imaging quality. The minimum variance (MV) and delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS) beamformers have been validated as effective in improving image quality. The MV improves mainly the resolution of the image, while being computationally expensive and having little impact on contrast. The DMAS increases the contrast while over-suppressing the speckle region in the case of 2-D summation for multi-transmission applications. In a new approach, a beamformer based on MV and DMAS is proposed to enhance both spatial resolution and contrast in plane wave imaging. Prior to estimating the weight vector of MV, the backscattered echoes are decorrelated without any spatial smoothing. This enhances the robustness of MV without compromising the improvement in resolution. With a shift from element space to beamspace, MV weights are calculated using the spatial statistics of a set of orthogonal beams, which allows the high-complexity algorithm to be run faster. After that, the MV weights are applied to the DMAS output vector beamformed over different transmissions. The proposed method can result in better contrast resolution, thereby avoiding over-suppression. The complexity of the applied DMAS version is also similar to that of DAS. Imaging results reveal that the proposed method offers improvements over the traditional compounding method in terms of spatial and contrast resolution. It also can achieve a higher image quality compared with some existing adaptive methods applied in the literature.

Large-Array Deep Abdominal Imaging in Fundamental and Harmonic Mode.

Deep abdominal images suffer from poor diffraction-limited lateral resolution. Extending the aperture size can improve resolution. However, phase distortion and clutter can limit the benefits of larger arrays. Previous studies have explored these effects using numerical simulations, multiple transducers, and mechanically swept arrays. In this work, we used an 8.8-cm linear array transducer to investigate the effects of aperture size when imaging through the abdominal wall. We acquired channel data in fundamental and harmonic modes using five aperture sizes. To avoid motion and increase the parameter sampling, we decoded the full-synthetic aperture data and retrospectively synthesized nine apertures (2.9-8.8 cm). We imaged a wire target and a phantom through ex vivo porcine abdominal samples and scanned the livers of 13 healthy subjects. We applied bulk sound speed correction to the wire target data. Although point resolution improved from 2.12 to 0.74 mm at 10.5 cm depth, contrast resolution often degraded with aperture size. In subjects, larger apertures resulted in an average maximum contrast degradation of 5.5 dB at 9-11 cm depth. However, larger apertures often led to visual detection of vascular targets unseen with conventional apertures. An average 3.7-dB contrast improvement over fundamental mode in subjects showed that the known benefits of tissue-harmonic imaging extend to larger arrays.

COMPARISON OF 3D T2-WEIGHTED SEQUENCE WITH CONVENTIONAL 2D MRI SEQUENCES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF SHOULDER JOINT PATHOLOGIES

Background: Conventional 2D MR protocol routinely used in the institutions for assessment of shoulder joint pathologies have good tissue contrast and in-plane spatial resolution, but they must be repeated in several planes which takes more examination time, and the thicker slices can miss some pathologies due to partial volume averaging. Instead, procuring thin slices is possible with 3D acquisition and can be post-processed into other planes using multiplanar reformation techniques, thereby reducing overall examination time and provides good patient compliance, fewer motion artefacts. This study's goal is to determine the agreement between conventional 2D sequences and 3D T2 weighted sequence in the assessment of rotator cuff and other shoulder joint pathologies. 50 patients with suspected shoulde Methods: r joint pathologies were examined with 2D and 3D protocol in the same session. In the assessment of shoulder joint pathologies, agreement between T2-weighted 3D sequence and conventional 2D sequences is evaluated with kappa statistics. Diagnostic accuracy of T2-weighted 3D sequence with conventional 2D sequences as standard of reference is evaluated using McNemar and Chi square test. Perfe Results: ct agreement (k=1.00) between 2D and 3D sequences seen in the assessment of full thickness tears of supraspinatus and infraspinatus, partial thickness tears of subscapularis, tendinitis of rotator cuff muscles, biceps tendon, AC joint, bursitis and joint effusion. Strong agreement is seen with assessment of partial thickness tears of supraspinatus (k=0.811), moderate agreement with articular cartilage lesions (k=0.79) and bone marrow edema (k=0.779). Perfect agreement is Conclusion: seen between 2D and 3D sequences in the assessment of most of the rotator cuff and other shoulder pathologies in our series. With 3D sequence being capable of reducing overall examination time, it provides more patient compliance and reduced motion artefacts. We recommend further studies with arthroscopy as gold standard before relying purely on 3D sequence for shoulder evaluation.

MRI Quantitative Evaluation of Muscle Fatty Infiltration

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold-standard technique for evaluating muscle fatty infiltration and muscle atrophy due to its high contrast resolution. It can differentiate muscular from adipose tissue accurately. MRI can also quantify the adipose content within muscle bellies with several sequences such as T1-mapping, T2-mapping, spectroscopy, Dixon, intra-voxel incoherent motion, and diffusion tensor imaging. The main fields of interest in musculoskeletal radiology for a quantitative MRI evaluation of muscular fatty infiltration include neuro-muscular disorders such as myopathies, and dystrophies. Sarcopenia is another important field in which the evaluation of the degree of muscular fat infiltration or muscular hypotrophy is required for a correct diagnosis. This review highlights several MRI techniques and sequences focusing on quantitative methods of assessing adipose tissue and muscle atrophy.

PET/MRI in colorectal and anal cancers: an update.

Positron emission tomography (PET) in the era of personalized medicine has a unique role in the management of oncological patients and offers several advantages over standard anatomical imaging. However, the role of molecular imaging in lower GI malignancies has historically been limited due to suboptimal anatomical evaluation on the accompanying CT, as well as significant physiological 18F-flurodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the bowel. In the last decade, technological advancements have made whole-body FDG-PET/MRI a feasible alternative to PET/CT and MRI for lower GI malignancies. PET/MRI combines the advantages of molecular imaging with excellent soft tissue contrast resolution. Hence, it constitutes a unique opportunity to improve the imaging of these cancers. FDG-PET/MRI has a potential role in initial diagnosis, assessment of local treatment response, and evaluation for metastatic disease. In this article, we review the recent literature on FDG-PET/MRI for colorectal and anal cancers; provide an example whole-body FDG-PET/MRI protocol; highlight potential interpretive pitfalls; and provide recommendations on particular clinical scenarios in which FDG-PET/MRI is likely to be most beneficial for these cancer types.

Image Contrast Enhancement by Using LED Annular Oblique Illumination in Bright-Field Microscopy

Köhler illumination is the most used method for evenly illuminating a sample in bright-field microscopy. However, Köhler illumination cannot provide optimum contrast and high resolution simultaneously. The image contrast for Köhler illumination can be enhanced at the expense of lateral resolution. In this paper, we discuss the main causes of contrast loss with Köhler illumination by simulating unsymmetrical interference, incoherent superposition, and modulation transfer function. We present a method to increase the image contrast by combining the annular oblique illumination with normalization and blind deconvolution. With the progress of optoelectronic devices, the greater advantages of annular oblique illumination will become apparent. The experimental results achieved by using LED annular oblique illumination prove the feasibility of the proposed method.

Updates on Compositional MRI Mapping of the Cartilage: Emerging Techniques and Applications.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a widely occurring degenerative joint disease that is severely debilitating and causes significant socioeconomic burdens to society. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred imaging modality for the morphological evaluation of cartilage due to its excellent soft tissue contrast and high spatial resolution. However, its utilization typically involves subjective qualitative assessment of cartilage. Compositional MRI, which refers to the quantitative characterization of cartilage using a variety of MRI methods, can provide important information regarding underlying compositional and ultrastructural changes that occur during early OA. Cartilage compositional MRI could serve as early imaging biomarkers for the objective evaluation of cartilage and help drive diagnostics, disease characterization, and response to novel therapies. This review will summarize current and ongoing state-of-the-art cartilage compositional MRI techniques and highlight emerging methods for cartilage compositional MRI including MR fingerprinting, compressed sensing, multiexponential relaxometry, improved and robust radio-frequency pulse sequences, and deep learning-based acquisition, reconstruction, and segmentation. The review will also briefly discuss the current challenges and future directions for adopting these emerging cartilage compositional MRI techniques for use in clinical practice and translational OA research studies. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Precision marking of glass with excimer lasers

AbstractCurrent laser marking of glass by CO2 lasers is mainly based on the generation of cracks or melt pits. Improved quality in the form of damage free, high contrast, and high resolution marking is possible by using deep ultraviolet emitting excimer lasers. Various methods of ablative microstructure formation or nanoparticle implantation are available to achieve colored marks on glass formed by opalescence, chemical modification, or plasmonic absorption.

Use of conductive Ti2O3 nanoparticles for optical and electrochemical imaging of latent fingerprints on various substrates

The personal identification technology based on fingerprint features has great application value in the fields of public security and consumer electronics due to its extensiveness and reliability. However, current fingerprint development methods do not work efficiently for latent fingerprints (LFPs) deposited on some problematic objects. In this work, conductive Ti2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) with black color were used as a novel optical and electrochemical dual-mode enhancer for the development of LFPs with high sensitivity, resolution and low background interference on various substrates. For the majority of substrates, black Ti2O3 NPs were able to acquire the high-sensitivity optical development of LFPs (levels 1–3 features), which maybe result from spatially selective adhesion between Ti2O3 NPs and fingerprint residues. However, for dark substrates with strong background color interference, the obtained images from Ti2O3-developed fingerprints were severely blurry. Significantly, by virtue of the electroactivity of Ti2O3 powder, the Ti2O3-developed fingerprints could be further electrochemically imaged with high contrast and high resolution by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to eliminate background color interference. The current changes at the probe of SECM could reflect the pattern information of the fingerprint because the redox mediator could be regenerated at the surface of Ti2O3 powders adhered to the ridge regions. These results demonstrated that Ti2O3 NPs could be considered as a bi-functional developer for enhancing LFPs.

Head-to-tail imaging of mice with spiral volumetric optoacoustic tomography

Optoacoustic tomography has been established as a powerful modality for preclinical imaging. However, efficient whole-body imaging coverage has not been achieved owing to the arduous requirement for continuous acoustic coupling around the animal. In this work, we introduce panoramic (3600) head-to-tail 3D imaging of mice with spiral volumetric optoacoustic tomography (SVOT). The system combines multi-beam illumination and a dedicated head holder enabling uninterrupted acoustic coupling for whole-body scans. Image fidelity is optimized with self-gated respiratory motion rejection and dual speed-of-sound reconstruction algorithms to attain spatial resolution down to 90 µm. The developed system is thus highly suitable for visualizing rapid biodynamics across scales, such as hemodynamic changes in individual organs, responses to treatments and stimuli, perfusion, total body accumulation, or clearance of molecular agents and drugs with unmatched contrast, spatial and temporal resolution.

Denoising of the Poisson-Noise Statistics 2D Image Patterns in the Computer X-ray Diffraction Tomography

A central point of validity of computer X-ray diffraction micro tomography is to improve the digital contrast and spatial resolution of the 3D-recovered nano-scaled objects in crystals. In this respect, the denoising issue of the 2D image patterns data involved in the 3D high-resolution recovery processing has been treated. The Poisson-noise simulation of 2D image patterns data was performed; afterwards, it was employed for recovering nano-scaled crystal structures. By using the statistical average and geometric means methods of the acquired 2D image frames, we showed that the statistical average hypothesis works well, at least in the case of 2D Poisson-noise image data related to the Coulomb-type point defect in a crystal Si(111). The validation of results related to the de-noised 2D IPs data obtained was carried out by both the 3D recovery processing of the Coulomb-type point defect in a crystal Si(111) and using the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) criterion.