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Project

Completely virtual, three dimensional, clinical trial platform for evaluating new breast imaging design choices.

Clinical trials are the gold standard method for the verification or the optimization of imaging technology. However, this is an expensive and very time consuming task. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) starts to support the proof of evidence using simulations rather than real trials. Virtual clinical trials are therefore being developed. While we have experience with simulation frameworks in which we simulate lesions into real patient images to study the detectability of these lesions in different patient backgrounds, we will now push this approach one layer deeper, using 3D software models. This approach, potentially useful as it allows to predict systems that have not yet been realized, requires a careful validation first. This will be done in part in comparison to partially virtual clinical trials and using test objects. Methodology: - Test the realistic appearance of image segments created from 3D software models, simulating both 2D mammography and tomosynthesis. Characterize the features of these images (example noise power spectra) and compare to clinical images. - Make 3D models of microcalcifications and masses that showed to be difficult to detect; - Prepare a platform for virtual clinical trials in cooperation with GE HealthCare; - Run a completely virtual clinical trial as well as a partially virtual clinical trial to compare 2D mammography to breast tomosynthesis in terms of detectability of calcifications. Compare the results; - Run an experiment in parallel with the 3D test object and comment on the usefulness of that phantom; - Tune a channelized hoteling observer for detection of microcalcifications in images of the GE HealthCare system (2D and tomo); - Run a system design application that will be defined later.

Date:1 Mar 2018 →  10 Feb 2022
Keywords:clinical trial, breast phantom
Disciplines:Laboratory medicine, Palliative care and end-of-life care, Regenerative medicine, Other basic sciences, Other health sciences, Nursing, Other paramedical sciences, Other translational sciences, Other medical and health sciences
Project type:PhD project