Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Development And Validation Of Mechatronic Systems For Image-Guided Needle Interventions And Point-Of-Care Breast Cancer Screening With Ultrasound (2d And 3d) And Positron Emission Mammography, Claire Ks Park

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The successful intervention of breast cancer relies on effective early detection and definitive diagnosis. While conventional screening mammography has substantially reduced breast cancer-related mortalities, substantial challenges persist in women with dense breasts. Additionally, complex interrelated risk factors and healthcare disparities contribute to breast cancer-related inequities, which restrict accessibility, impose cost constraints, and reduce inclusivity to high-quality healthcare. These limitations predominantly stem from the inadequate sensitivity and clinical utility of currently available approaches in increased-risk populations, including those with dense breasts, underserved and vulnerable populations.

This PhD dissertation aims to describe the development and validation of alternative, cost-effective, robust, and high-resolution …

Using Statistics, Computational Modelling And Artificial Intelligence Methods To Study And Strengthen The Link Between Kinematic Impacts And Mtbis, Andrew Luke Mcconnell Patterson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are frequently occurring, yet poorly understood, injuries in sports (e.g., ice hockey) and other physical recreation activities where head impacts occur. Helmets are essential pieces of equipment used to protect participants’ heads from mTBIs. Evaluating the performance of helmets to prevent mTBIs using simulations on anatomically accurate computational head finite element models is critically important for advancing the development of safer helmets. Advancing the level of detail in, and access to, such models, and their continued validation through state-of-the-art brain imaging methods and traditional head injury assessment procedures, is also essential to improve safety. The …

Improving The Reliability And Accessibility Of Ct Perfusion Imaging In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Kevin J. Chung

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

CT perfusion (CTP) imaging is a validated treatment decision support tool in acute ischemic stroke. Automated analysis of CTP cerebral blood flow (CBF) and Tmax maps produces estimates of ischemic core and penumbra volumes used to determine target mismatch profiles for treatment. However, availability and utilization of CTP is low due to diagnostic variability between CTP software and technical, logistical, and radiation dose considerations that may limit its routine adoption. The objective of this doctoral research was to improve the reliability and accessibility of CTP by (1) improving diagnostic agreement between CTP software, (2) enabling perfusion imaging with standard acute …