Dr. Norbert Pelc's Research Featured in AuntMinnie.com

Posted 12:03 PM, July 17, 2007, by jaruiz

Our Department's innovative research on volumetric inverse geometry CT (IGCT), directed by Dr. Pelc, ScD, was recently featured in an AuntMinnie.com article, "Inverse-Geometry CT Project Promises Higher Image Quality, Fewer Artifacts," by Eric Barnes (http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=cto&Pag=dis&ItemId=76261).

Current multi-detector-row CT systems are unable to acquire volumes thicker than 4 cm in a single rotation, which impedes the imaging of larger organs, such as the heart, in a single rotation. The extension of this technology to image thick volumes has fundamental limitations. By using an array of sources, Dr. Pelc's IGCT research allows thicker volumes to be imaged faster with higher resolution and no cone-beam artifacts, which promises to improve the imaging of larger organs and to benefit difficult applications such as cardiac CT angiography and perfusion studies. Dr. Pelc described his results as "promising": "It's a technology that can be scaled to an arbitrary slab thickness; does not have conebeam artifacts; can deliver isotropic and homogenous spatial resolution across a higher volume; and offers excellent dose efficiency, partly as a result of the virtual bow tie." For more detailed reading on Dr. Pelc's research, please see "Inverse-Geometry Volumetric CT System with Multiple Detector Arrays for Wide Field-of-View Imaging" in Medical Physics (June 2007;34(6):2133-2142)
(available online at http://scitation.aip.org/getpdf/servlet/GetPDFServlet?filetype=pdf&id=MPHYA6000034000006002133000001&idtype=cvips).

The AuntMinnie.com article featuring Dr. Pelc's IGCT research is based on his June 13, 2007 presentation, "Volumetric Inverse Geometry CT (IGCT) with a Large Field-of-View," from the 9th Annual International Symposium on Multidetector-Row CT (MDCT) held at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco, CA. Dr. Pelc was one of more than 64 world-renowned speakers featured at the MDCT, which offered over 180 lectures on topics such as "Technology: Present and Future"; "Contrast Medium Delivery and Risk Management"; "Pediatrics"; and "Cardiac PET/CT and Non-Coronary Applications."

The conference also included a special seminar on cardiovascular imaging; a hands-on workstation training; extensive equipment exhibits; and the 5th annual workstation face-off. During the face-off, physician-operators navigated the same five clinical datasets using different workstations to compare the capabilities, image quality, and workflow strategies of the workstations.