PhD project: Enhancing cardiovascular long axial field-of-view positron emission tomography using photon-counting computed tomography
Project description
An interdisciplinary Imaging Physics PhD studentship is available between the groups of Paul Clegg, Professor of Applied Physics, Michelle Williams, Professor of Cardiovascular Imaging and David Newby, BHF Duke of Edinburgh Chair of Cardiology. The project will make extensive use of the photon counting CT and the total-body PET imaging facilities operated by Edinburgh Imaging and will involve close collaboration with Siemens Healthineers. The student will work in both the School of Physics and Astronomy and the Queens Medical Research Institute and will spend some time in Knoxville with Siemens.
https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/people/paul-clegg
https://edwebprofiles.ed.ac.uk/profile/michelle-williams
https://edwebprofiles.ed.ac.uk/profile/david-newby
https://clinical-sciences.ed.ac.uk/edinburgh-imaging
https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/ba/medical-imaging
This project is associated with the British Heart Foundation Research Excellence Award, RE4. It is funded for 42 months.
Project Summary:
Long axial field of view (LAFOV) positron emission tomography (PET) and photon counting computed tomography (PCCT) can potentially be combined for the benefit of both. LAFOV PET dramatically improves the sensitivity of positron emission tomography as part of quadrupling the size of the region of the patient that can be scanned. This is revolutionary because it suddenly becomes possible to capture the relationship between organs and to assess vasculature across large regions. The energy resolution provided by PCCT results in improved spatial resolution and reduced noise, but most importantly, it allows tissues to be characterised at different photon energies providing rich texture information. We need to establish where the synergisms are between these two imaging modalities and then we need to design the computational methods to exploit them.
In the first phase of the project, we will be exploring how information from PCCT might be used to improve the interpretation of the PET detector counts. PCCT offers a unique characterisation of the patient’s anatomy. We will explore how this PCCT information can inform PET image reconstruction in several different ways.
The second phase, will address the way that PET image data is degraded by the regular motion of the heart. We will aim to use photon time-of-flight information – available on the new LAFOV PET scanner – to characterise this motion. The motion information will then inform the process of image reconstruction. Motion-free PET image data should be more straightforward to register with the PCCT images – an assumption we will explore.
Finally, we will investigate the synergism between LAFOV PET with novel radiotracers and multi-energy spectral PCCT to determine whether it becomes possible to accurately differentiate between inflammation, fibrosis, calcification and thrombosis in various cardiovascular regions.
As part of this project, the student will be introduced to the Siemen's R&D headquarters in Knoxville who will provide key support to this project. The student will work closely with the clinical and scientific team at the University of Edinburgh across the School of Physics and Astronomy, the British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, and Edinburgh Imaging.
Project supervisors
- Professor Paul Clegg (School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
- Professor Michelle Williams (British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence)
The project supervisors welcome informal enquiries about this project.
Find out more about this research area
The links below summarise our research in the area(s) relevant to this project:
- Find out more about Physics of Living Matter.
- Find out more about the Institute for Condensed Matter and Complex Systems.
What next?
- Find out how to apply for our PhD degrees.
- Find out about fees and funding and studentship opportunities.
- View and complete the application form (on the main University website).
- Find out how to contact us for more information.