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LinksNational Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (www.nibib.nih.gov) Contact UsScience HighlightsOCT Poised to Improve Diagnostics Surgeons are using optical coherence tomography to assess tissue immediately after it is removed, in this case from the breast. The top image shows no sign of cancer; the middle image shows remaining cancer cells (at the red arrows) and agrees with the bottom image, a traditional pathology slide. Just over 15 years ago, using technology that would revolutionize the telecommunications industry, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed an elegant optical imaging technique—optical coherence tomography (OCT). The technique, analogous to ultrasound, uses near-infrared light rather than sound waves to create images. Light reflects off of tissue and is captured by a detector, and image analysis software combines the signals from the reflected light to form an image. Initially, researchers used OCT to examine the fine structures of the eye’s retina. Ophthalmologists embraced OCT because it gave them a noninvasive, relatively low-cost way to view the retina compared with other techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging. Because every layer of the retina could be viewed by OCT, the technique could assist in tracking conditions such as glaucoma, macular holes (retinal tears), and nonvascular macular edema (swelling of the retina’s center). The technique could also monitor how well retinal drug therapies were working. OCT is now considered the "gold standard" for retinal imaging. Although OCT’s image quality and image acquisition rates were adequate for ophthalmology studies, they were not good enough for use in other clinical fields. Since its introduction, researchers and engineers around the world have worked to improve OCT's image resolution and speed. The technique can now provide clear three-dimensional images taken in real time. With these advances, OCT is now poised to make a contribution in a number of fields including surgical oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology, and tissue engineering. OCT's ability to give immediate quantitative information may also make it an integral component of point-of-care diagnostics. Better Biopsies Image-guided needle biopsy and surgical tumor removal can benefit from imaging technologies capable of producing high-resolution images that show structural and, with the use of contrast agents or imaging dyes, molecular information about surrounding tissue. “[Conventional] pathology grossly under-samples tissue, and it can’t look at all the tissue [in its native state] microscopically,” says Stephen Boppart, professor of electrical and computer engineering, bioengineering, and medicine, and head of the Biophotonics Imaging Laboratory at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. “Our contention is that things are being missed.” To extend OCT’s reach within the body, Boppart’s group has developed special needles that contain all the imaging components within the needle’s tip. These can also be adapted for use in a flexible catheter when the biopsy location is in blood vessels or the gastrointestinal tract. “We need to hire craftsmen to assemble these microscopic components, but this is all feasible,” he says. Boppart and his group have developed an OCT surgical system that allows surgeons to examine tumor beds, tissue margins, and lymph nodes during surgery and get a comprehensive picture of the patient’s situation. When surgeons remove tumors, they take as much of the tumor as possible as well as additional tissue to see how far the cancer has spread. Currently, no tool in clinical practice can give a surgeon quantitative information on how much tissue to remove. According to Boppart, “[An OCT system] won’t supplant pathology as the gold standard, but it will offer data, up front, to help make decisions about the locations for additional tissue removal.” Improved Stent Placement When it comes to placing stents (mesh tubes that expand to keep the vessel open), cardiologists would like to see what the stent looks like and how the stent has affected surrounding tissue. With OCT, clinicians can now see whether the stent is overexpanded and whether the blood vessel has been injured through placement. Another area of interest is tracking vulnerable plaques, fatty deposits covered by a fibrous cap that are a leading cause of heart attack, stroke, and death. By keeping tabs on these deposits, cardiologists may be able to intervene before the plaque ruptures. But noninvasive imaging of the body’s vascular network isn’t easy. OCT, though extremely promising, is still invasive. "This isn't a screening tool," says Boppart. "You have high-risk patients who are already compromised, and you must get rid of the blood in the vessel [to image the plaque] either by occluding it or flushing it." Assessing the Esophagus Visualizing Tissue Structure and Function Promise for Point-of-Care Diagnostics For outpatient procedures such as skin cancer removal and dental visits, OCT represents a quantum leap forward in point-of-care diagnostics. OCT’s ability to pinpoint suspicious areas and give quantitative information about tissue could dramatically alter how and when clinicians decide on treatment. "OCT changes the process of diagnosis," says Boppart. "This will allow us to change the standard of care." This work is supported in part by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. Reference
A Sensible Censor for Sharing Medical Records: MIT-Developed Software Helps Protect Patient PrivacyNewly developed MIT software will help to allay patients' fears about who has access to their confidential records, facilitating the use of such data for medical research. In the July 24 issue of the journal BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, a team of NIBIB-funded researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) describes a computer program capable of automatically deleting details from medical records that could identify patients, while leaving important medical information intact. Read the full story at http://www.nibib.nih.gov/NewsEvents/Releases#July.
NIBIB NewsNIBIB Welcomes Two Council MembersTwo new members were recently appointed to the National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NACBIB). The new members were introduced by NIBIB Director Dr. Roderic Pettigrew at the Council meeting held on September 16, 2008.  Philip O. Alderson, M.D., is dean of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, a position he assumed in April 2008. He is a renowned nuclear medicine physician and diagnostic radiologist who helped develop standard procedures for noninvasive diagnosis of pulmonary emboli. Dr. Alderson is a past president of the Academy for Radiology Research. Prior to joining Saint Louis University, he was chairman of the department of radiology at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and the James Picker Professor of Radiology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. While at Columbia, he championed the integration of bioengineering and radiology and promoted the rapidly developing area of molecular imaging. Dr. Alderson received his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis.  Cherri M. Pancake, Ph.D., is a professor of electrical engineering and computer science and Intel faculty fellow at Oregon State University. A pioneer in applying ethnographic techniques to identify software usability problems of science and business communities, Dr. Pancake’s methods are used in software products from Hewlett Packard, Convex, Intel, IBM, and Tektronix. Recently, she has focused on how virtual collaborations differ from proximal collaborations. Her research interests are in usability engineering, more specifically, addressing the problem of how complex software can better support conceptual models and computing strategies of practicing scientists and engineers. Dr. Pancake has been instrumental in the creation of the Parallel Tools Consortium and the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEESH). Dr. Pancake received her degree in computer engineering from Auburn University. The Council, which meets three times a year, provides recommendations on research priorities and funding opportunities in biomedical imaging and bioengineering and research training. Members of the Advisory Council are drawn from the scientific communities and appointed for 4-year terms and represent all areas within the Institute’s research mission.
Funding Opportunities & UpdatesDeveloping Point of Care Tests for Chlamydia and Other STDshttp://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Medicine/std/funding_announcements/ Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R01, R21, and R03)http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-212.html (R01) NIH Roadmap for Medical ResearchThe NIH Roadmap is a series of far-reaching initiatives designed to build on the progress in medical research achieved through the doubling of the NIH budget. NIBIB plays a significant role in Roadmap activities in many areas. More information on current NIH Roadmap funding opportunities is available at nihroadmap.nih.gov/grants/index.asp. NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience ResearchThe NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is a cooperative effort among the 16 NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices that support neuroscience research. By pooling resources and expertise, the Blueprint supports the development of new tools, training opportunities, and other resources to assist neuroscientists in both basic and clinical research. More information on current NIH Blueprint funding opportunities is available at neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/blueprint_funding/index.htm.
Names in the NewsNew Faces at NIBIBMs. Kathryn Ellis has joined the Office of Grants Management as a Grants Management Specialist. She was previously with the National Institute on Allergy and Infectious Diseases where she had responsibility for a complex grant portfolio covering a wide range of grant mechanisms. Ms. Marie Gill has joined the Division of Applied Science & Technology as a biomedical engineer. Ms. Gill graduated in 2007 from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in bioengineering with a concentration in biosignals and imaging. Her most recent research position was in the Department of Radiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where she investigated the effects of insulin stimulation on glucose transport in diabetics using positron emission tomography. Dr. Guoying Liu has joined the Division of Applied Science & Technology as program director for the MRI portfolio. Dr. Liu was previously a program director in the Cancer Imaging Program at the National Cancer Institute for 6 years, lending her expertise to the areas of magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy. At the NCI, she managed a portfolio of cancer imaging research grants and advised the NCI on emerging imaging technologies and their applications to cancer. AwardsNIH Director Elias Zerhouni, M.D., recently presented NIH Director’s Awards to the following NIBIB staff members:
The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Awards were recently announced. Many NIBIB staff members were among those recognized at the award ceremony, including:
Conferences & Meetings4th Annual Small Animal Imaging Workshop Neuroscience 2008 In Vivo Molecular Imaging Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2008 Women’s 2008 Leadership Symposium NIH Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities Bioengineering & Imaging Research Opportunities Workshop (BIROW) 6
The NIH CornerNIH Director Steps Down NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., has announced his plans to step down at the end of October 2008 to pursue writing projects and explore other professional opportunities. Dr. Zerhouni has served as the NIH director since May 2002. He led the agency through a challenging period that required innovative solutions to transform basic and clinical research into tangible benefits for patients and their families. One of the hallmarks of his tenure is the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, launched in 2003, after extensive consultations with the scientific community. The NIH Roadmap brought together all 27 NIH Institutes and Centers to fund compelling research initiatives that could have a major impact on science but that no single institute could tackle alone. To read the full announcement and more about Dr. Zerhouni’s key accomplishments during his tenure, visit http://www.nih.gov/news/health/sep2008/od-24.htm. Director of National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Steps Down NIAAA Director Ting-Kai Li, M.D., has announced plans to step down from his post and retire from federal service, effective October 31, 2008. Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., the current NIAAA Deputy Director, will serve as the Acting Director of the Institute while a search for a new director is initiated. During his tenure, NIAAA emphasized a multi- and trans-disciplinary approach to alcohol research and the study of gene-environment interactions. Dr. Li guided the analysis of data showing that measures of an individual’s pattern of drinking are the best indicators of alcohol problems in much the same way that numerical measurements of blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides relate to relative risk for cardiovascular disease. For the full press release, see http://www.nih.gov/news/health/sep2008/niaaa-18.htm. Odom Receives NIH Pioneer Award Teri W. Odom, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University, has received an NIH Pioneer Award. Dr. Odom has developed large-area, multiscale nanopatterning tools to create noble metal (plasmonic) structures that can manipulate light at the nanoscale. The Pioneer Award will be used to develop new types of plasmonic materials that can resolve subcellular structure in three dimensions and without labels. For additional information on Dr. Odom and the NIH Pioneer Awards, visit http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer/Recipients08.aspx. Gracias Receives NIH Director’s New Innovator Award David H. Gracias, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University, has received an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award. His work will focus on the development of a new class of minimally invasive micro-nanoscale surgical tools and biomedical devices using a new strategy developed in his laboratory that is based on the self-actuation and self-assembly of lithographically patterned templates. For more information on Dr. Gracias’ research and the NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards, visit http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/newinnovator/Recipients08.asp. Enhancing Peer Review—Timeline AnnouncedIn June 2007, NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, M.D., initiated the effort to formally review the NIH peer review system. External and internal working groups deliberated on challenges and recommendations regarding enhancements to the peer review system. Following the release of the Peer Review Enhancements and Implementation Plan in June 2008, Dr. Zerhouni established a Peer Review Oversight Committee to initiate implementation. On September 19, 2008, NIH announced the initial implementation timeline for the recommendations resulting from this formal review. The timeline can be accessed at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-118.html. |
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