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DOE OSTI2015

WE-D-BRA-03: Four-Dimensional Dose Reconstruction Through Retrospective Phase Determination Using Cine Images of Electronic Portal Imaging Device

Purpose: To test a method to reconstruct a four-dimensional (4D) dose distribution using the correlation of pre-calculated 4D electronic portal imaging device (EPID) images and measured cine-EPID images. Methods: 1. A phantom designed to simulate a tumor in lung (a polystyrene block with 3.0 cm diameter embedded in cork) was placed on a sinusoidally moving platform with 2 cm amplitude and 4 sec/cycle. Ten-phase 4D CT images were acquired for treatment planning and dose reconstruction. A 6MV photon beam was irradiated on the phantom with static (field size=5×8.5 cm{sup 2}) and dynamic fields (sliding windows, 10×10 cm{sup 2}, X1 MLC closing in parallel with the tumor movement). 2. 4D and 3D doses were calculated forwardly on PTV (1 cm margin). 3. Dose images on EPID under the fields were calculated for 10 phases. 4. Cine EPID images were acquired during irradiation. 5. Their acquisition times were correlated to the phases of the phantom at which irradiation occurred by inter-comparing calculated “reference” EPID images with measured images (2D gamma comparison). For the dynamic beam, the tumor was hidden under MLCs during a portion of irradiation time; the correlation performed when the tumor was visible was extrapolated. 6. Dose for each phase was reconstructed on the 4D CT images and summed over all phases. The summation was compared with forwardly calculated 4D and 3D dose distributions. Monte Carlo methods were used for all calculations. Results: For the open and dynamic beams, the 4D reconstructed doses showed the pass rates of 92.7 % and 100 %, respectively, at the isocenter plane given 3% / 3 mm criteria. The better agreement of the dynamic beam was from its dose gradient which blurred the otherwise sharp difference between forward and reconstructed doses. This also contributed slightly better agreement in DVH of PTV. Conclusion: The feasibility of 4D reconstruction was demonstrated.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

Report on the AAPM grand challenge on deep generative modeling for learning medical image statistics

Abstract Background The findings of the 2023 AAPM Grand Challenge on Deep Generative Modeling for Learning Medical Image Statistics are reported in this Special Report. Purpose The goal of this challenge was to promote the development of deep generative models for medical imaging and to emphasize the need for their domain‐relevant assessments via the analysis of relevant image statistics. Methods As part of this Grand Challenge, a common training dataset and an evaluation procedure was developed for benchmarking deep generative models for medical image synthesis. To create the training dataset, an established 3D virtual breast phantom was adapted. The resulting dataset comprised about 108 000 images of size 512 512. For the evaluation of submissions to the Challenge, an ensemble of 10 000 DGM‐generated images from each submission was employed. The evaluation procedure consisted of two stages. In the first stage, a preliminary check for memorization and image quality (via the Fréchet Inception Distance [FID]) was performed. Submissions that passed the first stage were then evaluated for the reproducibility of image statistics corresponding to several feature families including texture, morphology, image moments, fractal statistics, and skeleton statistics. A summary measure in this feature space was employed to rank the submissions. Additional analyses of submissions was performed to assess DGM performance specific to individual feature families, the four classes in the training data, and also to identify various artifacts. Results Fifty‐eight submissions from 12 unique users were received for this Challenge. Out of these 12 submissions, 9 submissions passed the first stage of evaluation and were eligible for ranking. The top‐ranked submission employed a conditional latent diffusion model, whereas the joint runners‐up employed a generative adversarial network, followed by another network for image superresolution. In general, we observed that the overall ranking of the top 9 submissions according to our evaluation method (i) did not match the FID‐based ranking, and (ii) differed with respect to individual feature families. Another important finding from our additional analyses was that different DGMs demonstrated similar kinds of artifacts. Conclusions This Grand Challenge highlighted the need for domain‐specific evaluation to further DGM design as well as deployment. It also demonstrated that the specification of a DGM may differ depending on its intended use.

Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging↗

DOE OSTI2022

Data Mining – Image Analysis of Radiography for Zr Redistribution

The research effort described in this report represents a first attempt to investigate the radial redistribution of Zr in ternary fuel alloys U-xPu-10Zr (x = 0, 8, 19) irradiated in the in-reactor fuel experiments during the operation of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) using methods of image processing on post-irradiation neutron radiographs. Approximately 130,000 metal fuel pins were irradiated in EBR-II during its 30 years of operation to develop and characterize existing and prospective fuels. For many of the metal fuel irradiation experiments, neutron radiography imaging was performed historically now allowing application of modern image analysis techniques to characterize fuel behavior, such as fuel swelling, fluff formation, and now, fuel alloy constituent redistribution. The redistribution of fuel components depends on the temperature field, radially, within the fuel. Specifically, Zr is expected to redistribute radially towards the center of the pin, as well as towards the outer zones. Currently, direct imaging of a pin cross-section through optical methods or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to study the constituents’ redistribution, which is very time-consuming and can only be applied to a limited number of pins. An automated image processing technique allowing for the investigation of fuel radial redistribution zones would significantly accelerate data analysis. In general, if the fuel temperature is hot enough, three redistribution zones are expected, corresponding to the main fuel components (e.g., U, Pu, Zr). While more assessment will be performed in fiscal year (FY)-2023, it seems possible to differentiate the pins according to their fuel composition using image analysis techniques on neutron radiographs of metallic fuel pins based on the analysis to date.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2020

System-Independent X-Ray Characterization

We have developed a method for image reconstruction and analysis of dual-energy X-ray scans that has been demonstrated to yield a physically intuitive characterization of materials (by electron density and effective atomic number) in a system-independent way. Our methodology stands in contrast to common practice of reconstructing images to yield linear attenuation coefficients, which depend strongly on system spectral response. At the core of our method, a technique called dual-energy decomposition is used to generate spectral energy-independent characterizations of the attenuation properties of a material. Inputs to this decomposition include system spectral response estimates and dual-energy X-ray projection data. X-ray cross-section tables are used to convert decomposition results to physical feature estimates (electron density, effective atomic number). Our method currently works best for materials with atomic numbers below 22 (titanium). In prior work for DHS, we demonstrated in a controlled, no-clutter environment that the decomposition technique could be applied to scans of a well-characterized materials on multiple systems with different X-ray spectral responses. In cases where LAC values showed a standard deviation of as much as 20% of mean value, application of our method yielded results with standard deviations as low as 1–3% of mean value.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

NASA NTRS2010

Landmark Detection in Orbital Images Using Salience Histograms

NASA's planetary missions have collected, and continue to collect, massive volumes of orbital imagery. The volume is such that it is difficult to manually review all of the data and determine its significance. As a result, images are indexed and searchable by location and date but generally not by their content. A new automated method analyzes images and identifies "landmarks," or visually salient features such as gullies, craters, dust devil tracks, and the like. This technique uses a statistical measure of salience derived from information theory, so it is not associated with any specific landmark type. It identifies regions that are unusual or that stand out from their surroundings, so the resulting landmarks are context-sensitive areas that can be used to recognize the same area when it is encountered again. A machine learning classifier is used to identify the type of each discovered landmark. Using a specified window size, an intensity histogram is computed for each such window within the larger image (sliding the window across the image). Next, a salience map is computed that specifies, for each pixel, the salience of the window centered at that pixel. The salience map is thresholded to identify landmark contours (polygons) using the upper quartile of salience values. Descriptive attributes are extracted for each landmark polygon: size, perimeter, mean intensity, standard deviation of intensity, and shape features derived from an ellipse fit.

Wagstaff, Kiri L.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Spectral Gradients and u-v Sampling

I describe a systematic method for characterizing the effects of differences in u-v coverage in terms of inferred spectral gradients in interferometric images. This method is directly applicable to optical and radio interferometry; it is useful in situations when observations using scale arrays are not feasible.

u-v sampling spectral gradients interferometric im↗

DOE OSTI2016

Imaging latex–carbon nanotube composites by subsurface electrostatic force microscopy

Electrostatic modes of atomic force microscopy have shown to be non-destructive and relatively simple methods for imaging conductors embedded in insulating polymers. Here we use electrostatic force microscopy to image the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in a latex-based conductive composite, which brings forth features not observed in previously studied systems employing linear polymer films. A fixed-potential model of the probe-nanotube electrostatics is presented which in principle gives access to the conductive nanoparticle's depth and radius, and the polymer film dielectric constant. Comparing this model to the data results in nanotube depths that appear to be slightly above the film–air interface. Furthermore, this result suggests that water-mediated charge build-up at the film–air interface may be the source of electrostatic phase contrast in ambient conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2013

Low dose hard x-ray contact microscopy assisted by a photoelectric conversion layer

Hard x-ray contact microscopy provides images of dense samples at resolutions of tens of nanometers. However, the required beam intensity can only be delivered by synchrotron sources. We report on the use of a gold photoelectric conversion layer to lower the exposure dose by a factor of 40 to 50, allowing hard x-ray contact microscopy to be performed with a compact x-ray tube. We demonstrate the method in imaging the transmission pattern of a type of hard x-ray grating that cannot be fitted into conventional x-ray microscopes due to its size and shape. Generally the method is easy to implement and can record images of samples in the hard x-ray region over a large area in a single exposure, without some of the geometric constraints associated with x-ray microscopes based on zone-plate or other magnifying optics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2022

Bayesian Active Learning for Scanning Probe Microscopy: From Gaussian Processes to Hypothesis Learning

Recent progress in machine learning methods and the emerging availability of programmable interfaces for scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) have propelled automated and autonomous microscopies to the forefront of attention of the scientific community. However, enabling automated microscopy requires the development of task-specific machine learning methods, understanding the interplay between physics discovery and machine learning, and fully defined discovery workflows. This, in turn, requires balancing the physical intuition and prior knowledge of the domain scientist with rewards that define experimental goals and machine learning algorithms that can translate these to specific experimental protocols. Here, we discuss the basic principles of Bayesian active learning and illustrate its applications for SPM. We progress from the Gaussian process as a simple data-driven method and Bayesian inference for physical models as an extension of physics-based functional fits to more complex deep kernel learning methods, structured Gaussian processes, and hypothesis learning. These frameworks allow for the use of prior data, the discovery of specific functionalities as encoded in spectral data, and exploration of physical laws manifesting during the experiment. Here, the discussed framework can be universally applied to all techniques combining imaging and spectroscopy, SPM methods, nanoindentation, electron microscopy and spectroscopy, and chemical imaging methods and can be particularly impactful for destructive or irreversible measurements.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2016

Utilizing fluorescent life time imaging microscopy technology for identify carriers of BRCA2 mutation

Worldwide, more than one million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, making it the most common female malignancy in the developed world. Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are estimated to increase the risk for developing breast cancer by up to 87%. From a clinical point of view, identification of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers offers an opportunity to early identify or prevent the development of malignancy; therefore the ability to determine which women are more likely to carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations is of great importance. The available diagnostic tests for mutation analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 are time- and labor-intensive, expensive, and do not allow the identification of all the functional mutations. We utilized the Fluorescent lifetime (FLT) imaging microscopy method which allows recognizing different cell populations, in order to distinguish between lymphocytes from BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers and non-carrier women by using easily obtainable lymphocyte cells from peripheral blood. Our results demonstrate that cells originated from BRCA2-mutation carriers have significantly lower FLT values compared with BRCA1 mutation carriers and control cells. This simple, inexpensive and sensitive method may be utilized in the future to detect BRCA2 mutation carriers, particularly those bearing unknown functional mutations. - Highlights: • Fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) technology can be used for recognizing BRCA mutation carriers. • Cells originated from BRCA2-mutation carriers have lower FLT values compared with BRCA1 mutation carriers and control cells. • The difference in FLT values were observed regardless irradiation. • FLIM method may be more informative in the detection of BRCA2-mutation carriers than BRCA1.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS2016

Normalized Temperature Contrast Processing in Infrared Flash Thermography

The paper presents further development in normalized contrast processing used in flash infrared thermography method. Method of computing normalized image or pixel intensity contrast, and normalized temperature contrast are provided. Methods of converting image contrast to temperature contrast and vice versa are provided. Normalized contrast processing in flash thermography is useful in quantitative analysis of flash thermography data including flaw characterization and comparison of experimental results with simulation. Computation of normalized temperature contrast involves use of flash thermography data acquisition set-up with high reflectivity foil and high emissivity tape such that the foil, tape and test object are imaged simultaneously. Methods of assessing other quantitative parameters such as emissivity of object, afterglow heat flux, reflection temperature change and surface temperature during flash thermography are also provided. Temperature imaging and normalized temperature contrast processing provide certain advantages over normalized image contrast processing by reducing effect of reflected energy in images and measurements, therefore providing better quantitative data. Examples of incorporating afterglow heat-flux and reflection temperature evolution in flash thermography simulation are also discussed.

Koshti, Ajay M.↗

NASA NTRS2016

A Method to Measure and Estimate Normalized Contrast in Infrared Flash Thermography

Koshti, Ajay M.↗

DOE OSTI2022

High-resolution ultra-low field magnetic resonance imaging with a high-sensitivity sensing coil

We present high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at ultra-low field (ULF) with a proton Larmor frequency of around 120 kHz. The key element is a specially designed high-sensitivity sensing coil in the shape of a solenoid with a few millimeter gap between windings to decrease the proximity effect and, hence, increase the coil’s quality ([Formula: see text]) factor and sensitivity. External noise is strongly suppressed by enclosing the sensing coil in a copper cylindrical shield, large enough not to negatively affect the coil’s [Formula: see text] factor and sensitivity, measured to be 217 and 0.47 fT/Hz[Formula: see text], respectively. To enhance small polarization of proton spins at ULF, a strong pulsed 0.1 T prepolarization field is applied, making the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of ULF MRI sufficient for high-quality imaging in a short time. We demonstrate ULF MRI of a copper sulfate solution phantom with a resolution of [Formula: see text] and SNR of 10. The acquisition time is 6.3 min without averaging. The sensing coil size in the current realization can accommodate imaging objects of 9 cm in size, sufficient for hand, and it can be further increased for human head imaging in the future. Since the in-plane resolution of [Formula: see text] is typical in anatomical medical imaging, this ULF MRI method can be an alternative low-cost, rapid, portable method for anatomical medical imaging of the human body or animals. This ULF MRI method can supplement other MRI methods, especially when such methods are restricted due to high cost, portability requirement, imaging artifacts, and other factors.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

Comprehensive characterization of ball-milled powders simulating a tribofilm system

A model system was used to simulate the properties of tribofilms which form during automotive braking. The model system was prepared by ball milling of a blend of 70 vol.% iron oxides, 15 vol.% molybdenum disulfide and 15 vol.% graphite. The resulting mixture was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and various transmission electron microscopic (TEM) methods, including energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), high resolution investigations (HRTEM) with corresponding simulation of the HRTEM images, diffraction methods such as scanning nano-beam electron diffraction (SNBED) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). It could be shown that the ball milling caused a reduction of the grain size of the initial components to the nanometer range. Sometimes even amorphization or partial break-down of the crystal structure was observed for MoS{sub 2} and graphite. Moreover, chemical reactions lead to a formation of surface coverings of the nanoparticles by amorphous material, molybdenum oxides, and iron sulfates as derived from XPS. - Highlights: • Ball milling of iron oxides, MoS{sub 2}, and graphite to simulate a tribofilm • Increasing coefficient of friction after ball milling of the model blend • Drastically change of the diffraction pattern of the powder mixture • TEM & XPS showed the components of the milled mixture and the process during milling. • MoS{sub 2} and graphite suffered a loss in translation symmetry or became amorphous.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2018

Automated detection of rear contact voids in perc cells with photoluminescence imaging

An image-processing method combined with Fourier analysis is introduced here in this work as a rapid and highly-automated method of detecting rear contact voids in passivated emitter and rear contact cells (PERC). This approach utilizes photoluminescence (PL) imaging to locate the central point of the most detrimental type of voids and associate a void fraction to each cell in a manner of seconds. Acoustic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy are also used as complementary tools to confirm the presence of voids detection using PL imaging and provide more insight into the actual physical mechanism of what is observed in PL measurements.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2014

MO-G-17A-01: Innovative High-Performance PET Imaging System for Preclinical Imaging and Translational Researches

Purpose: To develop a practical and compact preclinical PET with innovative technologies for substantially improved imaging performance required for the advanced imaging applications. Methods: Several key components of detector, readout electronics and data acquisition have been developed and evaluated for achieving leapfrogged imaging performance over a prototype animal PET we had developed. The new detector module consists of an 8×8 array of 1.5×1.5×30 mm{sup 3} LYSO scintillators with each end coupled to a latest 4×4 array of 3×3 mm{sup 2} Silicon Photomultipliers (with ∼0.2 mm insensitive gap between pixels) through a 2.0 mm thick transparent light spreader. Scintillator surface and reflector/coupling were designed and fabricated to reserve air-gap to achieve higher depth-of-interaction (DOI) resolution and other detector performance. Front-end readout electronics with upgraded 16-ch ASIC was newly developed and tested, so as the compact and high density FPGA based data acquisition and transfer system targeting 10M/s coincidence counting rate with low power consumption. The new detector module performance of energy, timing and DOI resolutions with the data acquisition system were evaluated. Initial Na-22 point source image was acquired with 2 rotating detectors to assess the system imaging capability. Results: No insensitive gaps at the detector edge and thus it is capable for tiling to a large-scale detector panel. All 64 crystals inside the detector were clearly separated from a flood-source image. Measured energy, timing, and DOI resolutions are around 17%, 2.7 ns and 1.96 mm (mean value). Point source image is acquired successfully without detector/electronics calibration and data correction. Conclusion: Newly developed advanced detector and readout electronics will be enable achieving targeted scalable and compact PET system in stationary configuration with >15% sensitivity, ∼1.3 mm uniform imaging resolution, and fast acquisition counting rate capability for substantially improved imaging and quantification performance for small animal imaging and image-guided radiotherapy applications. This work was supported by a research award RP120326 from Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2015

MO-F-CAMPUS-I-03: Tissue Equivalent Material Phantom to Test and Optimize Coherent Scatter Imaging for Tumor Classification

Purpose: To accurately model different breast geometries using a tissue equivalent phantom, and to classify these tissues in a coherent x-ray scatter imaging system. Methods: A breast phantom has been designed to assess the capability of coded aperture coherent x-ray scatter imaging system to classify different types of breast tissue (adipose, fibroglandular, tumor). The tissue-equivalent phantom was modeled as a hollow plastic cylinder containing multiple cylindrical and spherical inserts that can be positioned, rearranged, or removed to model different breast geometries. Each enclosure can be filled with a tissue-equivalent material and excised human tumors. In this study, beef and lard, placed inside 2-mm diameter plastic Nalgene containers, were used as surrogates for fibroglandular and adipose tissue, respectively. The phantom was imaged at 125 kVp, 40 mA for 10 seconds each with a 1-mm pencil beam. The raw data were reconstructed using a model-based reconstruction algorithm and yielded the location and form factor, or momentum transfer (q) spectrum of the materials that were imaged. The measured material form factors were then compared to the ground truth measurements acquired by x-ray diffraction (XRD) imaging. Results: The tissue equivalent phantom was found to accurately model different types of breast tissue by qualitatively comparing our measured form factors to those of adipose and fibroglandular tissue from literature. Our imaging system has been able to define the location and composition of the various materials in the phantom. Conclusion: This work introduces a new tissue equivalent phantom for testing and optimization of our coherent scatter imaging system for material classification. In future studies, the phantom will enable the use of a variety of materials including excised human tissue specimens in evaluating and optimizing our imaging system using pencil- and fan-beam geometries. United States Department of Homeland Security Duke University Medical Center - Department of Radiology Carl E Ravin Advanced Imaging Laboratories Duke University Medical Physics Graduate Program.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1976

Interactive imaging and data processing

Image processing method is capable of contrast enhancement, noise filtering, and photometric distortion removal in near real time. System uses digital image integration and digital video recorder as image buffer. Each frame of data is entered into memory; registers provide readout of stored TV frame.

Alsberg, H.↗