Physics Commons^™

Digging Deeper With Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy, Kyle J. Verdecchia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Patients with neurological diseases are vulnerable to cerebral ischemia, which can lead to brain injury. In the intensive care unit (ICU), neuromonitoring techniques that can detect flow reductions would enable timely administration of therapies aimed at restoring adequate cerebral perfusion, thereby avoiding damage to the brain. However, suitable bedside neuromonitoring methods sensitive to changes of blood flow and/or oxygen metabolism have yet to be established.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a promising technique capable of non-invasively monitoring flow and oxygenation. Specifically, diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) and time-resolved (TR) NIRS can be used to monitor blood flow and tissue oxygenation, respectively, and …

Hyperpolarized 3he Magnetic Resonance Imaging Phenotypes Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Damien Pike

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the world. Identifying clinically relevant COPD phenotypes has the potential to reduce the global burden of COPD by helping to alleviate symptoms, slow disease progression and prevent exacerbation by stratifying patient cohorts and forming targeted treatment plans. In this regard, quantitative pulmonary imaging with hyperpolarized 3He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and thoracic computed tomography (CT) have emerged as ways to identify and measure biomarkers of lung structure and function. 3He MRI may be used as a tool to probe both functional and structural properties of the lung …

Optimizing Respiratory Gated Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Planning And Delivery Of Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Ilma Xhaferllari

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is the standard of care for inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, thoracic tumours are susceptible to respiratory motion and, if unaccounted for, can potentially lead to dosimetric uncertainties. Respiratory gating is one method that limits treatment delivery to portions of the respiratory cycle, but when combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), requires rigorous verification. The goal of this thesis is to optimize respiratory gated IMRT treatment planning and develop image-guided strategies to verify the dose delivery for future early-stage NSCLC patients.

Retrospective treatment plans were generated for various IMRT delivery techniques, including …