Bio-X
Graduate Student Fellowships 2006/2007
Guillem Pratx
Electrical Engineering
Professor C. Levin |
Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging modality that has the powerful capability to non-invasively interrogate cellular and molecular processes occurring deep within the tissue of living subjects. However, image reconstruction algorithms, which are used to generate tomographic images from collected data, have become extremely computational. For high (< 2 mm) resolution PET systems, algorithms that optimize the image resolution and quantitative accuracy require a large computer cluster. To accelerate PET image reconstruction by an order-of-magnitude, I have used graphics processing units (GPUs) as cost-effective high performance co-processor. GPUs are off-the-shelf processors that are designed to deliver high-definition graphics for video games in real-time. This technology will facilitate the use of advanced reconstruction methods for high resolution PET for both the clinical and research use. This is an exciting project that involves collaborations with the graphics industry as well as biomedical scientists. |
