Murine lung tumor measurement on Micro-CT scansMouse models are often used to study the progression of cancer and genetic disease due to their similarities to humans. Just like humans, these mice often develop lung nodules. Currently, progression of disease is monitored by observing symptoms, which is often at a very late stage. Micro-CT can enable the earlier detection of lung tumors, but current measurement tools rely heavily on manual input. The goal of this research is to accurately and robustly measure tumors from micro-CT scans. Micro-CT scans are based on the same technology as medical CT scanners, but are capable of imaging at a much higher resolution but with a great deal more noise. The higher resolution allows for the detection of very small tumors, but the additional noise obscures non- and part-solid tumors and makes it difficult to discern the actual boundary of the tumor. An example of a slice of a micro-CT scan is shown in the figure below.
This research is performed in collaboration with Dr. Robert Weiss in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. |
