PET/MRI Coil Performance and Hardware Attenuation Correction

In this project, we partner with Multi-Magnetics Inc. to develop improved approaches to make heart images acquired with simultaneous MRI and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images of the heart more accurate. This includes compensating for the effect of custom image acquisition hardware (coils) that are present in the scanner at the same time as the patient. The PET/MRI cardiac coil has two parts: a rigid part underneath the patient and a flexible part on top of the patient. Compensation for the presence of coils will involve scanning the coils with dual-energy CT (X-ray based methods) to generate attenuation maps and will employ machine learning approaches to match the maps to the position and shape of the flexible part of the coil on a given patient. The effect of these improvements on PET image accuracy will be measured. Intellectual property for the approaches will be developed.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jean Theberge

Student:

Partner:

Multi Magnetics Inc

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Western University

Program: