Biomedical subjects

Fernando R Rannou

Publications and source records attributed to Fernando R Rannou.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Effect of optical property estimation accuracy on tomographic bioluminescence imaging: simulation of a combined optical-PET (OPET) system.

Inevitable discrepancies between the mouse tissue optical properties assumed by an experimenter and the actual physiological values may affect the tomographic localization of bioluminescent sources. In a previous work, the simplifying assumption of optically homogeneous tissues led to inaccurate localization of deep sources. Improved results may be obtained if a mouse anatomical map is provided by a high-resolution imaging modality and optical properties are assigned to segmented tissues. In this work, the feasibility of this approach was explored by simulating the effect of different magnitude optical property errors on the image formation process of a combined optical-PET system. Some comparisons were made with corresponding simulations using higher spatial resolution data that are typically attainable by CCD cameras. In addition, simulation results provided insights on some of the experimental conditions that could lead to poor localization of bioluminescent sources. They also provided a rough guide on how accurately tissue optical properties need to be known in order to achieve correct localization of point sources with increasing tissue depth under low background noise conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Tomographic bioluminescence imaging by use of a combined optical-PET (OPET) system: a computer simulation feasibility study.

The feasibility and limits in performing tomographic bioluminescence imaging with a combined optical-PET (OPET) system were explored by simulating its image formation process. A micro-MRI based virtual mouse phantom was assigned appropriate tissue optical properties to each of its segmented internal organs at wavelengths spanning the emission spectrum of the firefly luciferase at 37 degrees C. The TOAST finite-element code was employed to simulate the diffuse transport of photons emitted from bioluminescence sources in the mouse. OPET measurements were simulated for single-point, two-point and distributed bioluminescence sources located in different organs such as the liver, the kidneys and the gut. An expectation maximization code was employed to recover the intensity and location of these simulated sources. It was found that spectrally resolved measurements were necessary in order to perform tomographic bioluminescence imaging. The true location of emission sources could be recovered if the mouse background optical properties were known a priori. The assumption of a homogeneous optical property background proved inadequate for describing photon transport in optically heterogeneous tissues and led to inaccurate source localization in the reconstructed images. The simulation results pointed out specific methodological challenges that need to be addressed before a practical implementation of OPET-based bioluminescence tomography is achieved.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2005

Attenuation correction for small animal PET tomographs.

Attenuation correction is one of the important corrections required for quantitative positron emission tomography (PET). This work will compare the quantitative accuracy of attenuation correction using a simple global scale factor with traditional transmission-based methods acquired either with a small animal PET or a small animal x-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner. Two phantoms (one mouse-sized and one rat-sized) and two animal subjects (one mouse and one rat) were scanned in CTI Concorde Microsystem's microPET Focus for emission and transmission data and in ImTek's MicroCAT II for transmission data. PET emission image values were calibrated against a scintillation well counter. Results indicate that the scale factor method of attenuation correction places the average measured activity concentration about the expected value, without correcting for the cupping artefact from attenuation. Noise analysis in the phantom studies with the PET-based method shows that noise in the transmission data increases the noise in the corrected emission data. The CT-based method was accurate and delivered low-noise images suitable for both PET data correction and PET tracer localization.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2004

Investigation of OPET Performance Using GATE, a Geant4-Based Simulation Software.

A combined optical positron emission tomography (OPET) system is capable of both optical and PET imaging in the same setting, and it can provide information/interpretation not possible in single-mode imaging. The scintillator array here serves the dual function of coupling the optical signal from bioluminescence/fluorescence to the photodetector and also of channeling optical scintillations from the gamma rays. We report simulation results of the PET part of OPET using GATE, a Geant4 simulation package. The purpose of this investigation is the definition of the geometric parameters of the OPET tomograph. OPET is composed of six detector blocks arranged in a hexagonal ring-shaped pattern with an inner radius of 15.6 mm. Each detector consists of a two-dimensional array of 8 × 8 scintillator crystals each measuring 2 × 2 × 10 mm(3). Monte Carlo simulations were performed using the GATE software to measure absolute sensitivity, depth of interaction, and spatial resolution for two ring configurations, with and without gantry rotations, two crystal materials, and several crystal lengths. Images were reconstructed with filtered backprojection after angular interleaving and transverse one-dimensional interpolation of the sinogram. We report absolute sensitivities nearly seven times that of the prototype microPET at the center of field of view and 2.0 mm tangential and 2.3 mm radial resolutions with gantry rotations up to an 8.0 mm radial offset. These performance parameters indicate that the imaging spatial resolution and sensitivity of the OPET system will be suitable for high-resolution and high-sensitivity small-animal PET imaging.

Journal Article↗