Optical imaging, ultrasound combine for no-dose pediatric neuroimaging

Biomedical engineers at Washington University in St. Louis are tapping a $3 million NIH grant to develop photoacoustic tomography, or “PACT,” for pediatric neuroimaging.

The technology combines light and heat image data with diagnostic ultrasound, computational modeling and reconstruction algorithms to arrive at a non-ionizing imaging option producing precise measurements.

The researchers are working with the California Institute of Technology, whose engineers are designing a specialized scanner.

“We have to be very clever and careful with the computational modeling to get good images,” Mark Anastasio, PhD, says in a news item posted by WU’s engineering school. “We’re pretty much the only people crazy enough to take on this problem and are uniquely positioned to solve it.”

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Dave Pearson

Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.

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