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| Medical Imaging
Recent advances in medical imaging technology are revolutionizing many areas of medicine. One good example is in cancer screening. Computed tomographic (CT) imaging can replace invasive tests required to detect polyps that often lead to colorectal cancer. Creare, under funding from the National Cancer Institute, has developed tools to assist radiologists in reviewing the CT scans to find precancerous polyps. This work involved development of morphologic analysis tools capable of detecting polyps based on their distinct shape. We also developed a fully automated method to align the two sets of CT scans (prone and supine) that are obtained during each exam to enable rapid determination of whether or not suspicious findings are real polyps or artifacts from residual material in the bowel. |
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| In another project, Creare developed a diagnostic tool enabling long-term, continuous measurement of gastrointestinal motility. Motility disorders are a significant health problem accounting for more than five million physician visits each year in the United States. Existing clinical tests rely on X-ray imaging of radiopaque markers or imaging of ingested radioisotopes using a gamma camera. These tests are invasive, involve the use of radiation, and do not provide long-duration, high-resolution measurements of transit. As a result, too often clinicians find themselves with insufficient information to identify specific physiological problems or to prescribe optimal therapy. Creare developed an ingestible, nonabsorbable, and completely passive capsule that can be tracked through the gastrointestinal tract using a small electronics module worn on the patient’s body. This system provides the highly detailed, continuous measurements of gastrointestinal function that are critical to accurate diagnosis. |
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