Technical and algorithmic approaches for medical photon counting computed tomography in the example of coronary artery calcium quantification

Thesis event information

Date and time of the thesis defence

Place of the thesis defence

Auditorium 6, Oulu University Hospital, Zoom link: https://oulu.zoom.us/j/69898372694?pwd=MmhGZU9VTkVOMFJ3RWZtMTlJV3ppdz09

Topic of the dissertation

Technical and algorithmic approaches for medical photon counting computed tomography in the example of coronary artery calcium quantification

Doctoral candidate

Master of Science Mikael Juntunen

Faculty and unit

University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Research unit of medical imaging, physics and technology

Subject of study

Medical physics

Opponent

Docent Mika Kortesniemi, HUS Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Hospital

Custos

Professor Miika Nieminen, Research unit of medical imaging, physics and technology; University of Oulu

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Technical and algorithmic approaches for medical photon counting computed tomography of coronary arteries

In this dissertation, the suitability of a novel photon counting X-ray detector and advanced image reconstruction algorithms for computed tomography of coronary arteries was addressed. Since computed tomography utilizes ionizing radiation, the use of the radiation has to be optimized.

Photon counting detector and image reconstruction techniques may reduce the radiation dose without affecting the image quality when compared to the current generation of X-ray detectors and conventional non-iterative image reconstruction techniques. Moreover, the accuracy of tissue quantification with photon counting computed tomography was addressed.

In this study, we developed the necessary calibration framework for a photon counting detector, and we showed that this detector technology and the used image reconstruction algorithms allow the reduction of the radiation dose. Furthermore, the dissertation demonstrated that photon counting yields accurate quantification of coronary artery calcium density and mass.
Last updated: 1.3.2023