Tomographic Imaging

Computed Tomography (CT) is a powerful non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique for producing 2-D cross-sections and 3-D images of an object from a series of 2D projections (shadowgraphs). Critical to the process is the computer algorithms that are able to reconstruct the 3D images from many (often over a thousand) shadowgraphs. There are two critical steps to obtaining useful information from tomography i) the reconstruction of a 3D image from 2D projections and ii) the analysis and quantification of features in the 3d object. While the techniques is rapidly growing in popularity, most users have fairly limited options when trying to recover the 3D image and are able to write only fairly primitive computer programs to extract key features from the images. The aim of this Collaborative Project is to establish a toolbox within which different reconstruction algorithms, artefact reduction codes, and image analysis procedures are made available to all.

Society
The Flagship project will deliver considerable benefit in the area of Medical Imaging. Image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) equipment with integrated kilo-voltage X-ray cone-beam CT underpins the standard of care recommended by the National Radiotherapy Advisory Group in 2007. Indeed practicing clinical experts in medical x-ray CT within our network helped to develop IGRT treatment machines within an international consortium, such that the world's first IGRT treatment was actually delivered in Manchester at The Christie. The involvement of such experts will enable gains to be drawn down into medical imaging. Further with an installed base of approximately 240 linear accelerator treatment machines in the UK, a national build up to some ~0.25 Pbytes a year of reconstructed image volumes can be anticipated. Improved image quality will be essential to support dynamic tumour targeting, treatment intervention and adaptation. We already have academics involved in clinical medicine from Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Nottingham committed to becoming involved in the network; this will provide a significant pathway to impact.

Economy
The flagship project will benefit industrial inspection: At present there are 1000s of x-ray radiography machines operating in industry, primarily at Airports and for quality inspection. Fast CT machines coupled with automatic threat recognition will start to replace radiography over the next five years.

Industrial attendees will be encouraged to attend the training and science workshops and the PDRA will be expected to identify from our industrial partners the key issues from their perspective prior to developing the algorithms. We have already received commitment from Gatan, Nikon Xtek, Xradia and Simpleware who manufacture x-ray imagers or software that relies on tomography data to participate. As well as being key to our providing access to image data formats used to record data collected on their equipment, this will provide a pathway to exploitation of the software by UK users of their equipment and software.

As a guide to anticipated take-up, toolboxes for space weather developed by Cathryn Mitchell (UoB) are used in over 10 countries. Obviously the CCP covers a much broader range of tomography applications and more industrial users and consequently the uptake is expected to be far greater than this (see Critical Success Factors). Further, as the CCP develops and broadens its remit into other tomographic applications (e.g. PET, TEM, etc) this community will grow.

Knowledge
One of the key pathways to impact will be the two annual workshops and training exercises. These will enable knowledge transfer to the academic community. In addition much of the supporting information to enable the community to draw down the algorithms will be provided on the web. The travel budget of the PDRA is also sufficient to allow them to meet with academics across the country to help maximise knowledge transfer.

People
The groups at Manchester and Bath have a strong record of developing young researchers with 16 students going on to lectureships or chairs. Involvement in a multidisciplinary community is expected to provide an incubator for new scientists and engineers on the Harwell site.

Finally, visual information can be a great aid to understanding ('seeing is believing'). This project will deliver results that can be appreciated by the novice as well as the expert. To this end it will have a significant public engagement mission developing short animations that showcase the imaging outcomes for showing to politicians, industrialists, members of the people as well as schoolchildren. These will be made available for all within the network to use for advocacy on behalf of the project.