Kolor SPPCT imaging

 

Project leader

Investigator Salim Si-Mohamed
EmailSalim.Si-Mohamed@creatis.insa-lyon.fr

About

This project directly stems from the ERC: Kolor SPCCT.

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is the cornerstone of lung imaging due to its higher spatial resolution, convenience, availability, and faster acquisition time compared to other imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear imaging. However, it only provides morphological characterization, which is not fully suited to pulmonary diseases that represent a complex combination of respiratory, vascular, and inflammatory dysfunctions. Their diagnosis requires both morphological and functional analysis of ventilation, perfusion, and molecular biomarkers. Thus, the standard of care relies on a multimodal diagnostic workup involving scintigraphy, positron emission tomography, and tissue biopsy. This presents three main drawbacks: either the workup is not precise enough, or it is invasive, or it is time-consuming while worsening the patient’s prognosis.

Spectral photon-counting computed tomography (SPCCT) capitalizes not only on all the advantages of morphological CT imaging but also offers a cutting-edge imaging method known as K-Edge imaging. This technique enables the specific and quantitative identification of one or more atoms simultaneously within tissue, allowing simultaneous functional imaging of independent or interactive processes. However, K-Edge color imaging is still limited by its low sensitivity and the scarcity of tracers for potential human use, and thus has not yet been implemented in clinical practice.

 

Objectives

By combining medical imaging, pulmonology, chemistry, and physics, the KOLOR SPCCT imaging will bridge the gap between morphological and functional imaging in a single breath-hold. To achieve this goal, the project proposes to:

  • Develop K-Edge color imaging: create a dedicated, highly sensitive imaging tool
  • Diagnose lung diseases: provide ventilation and perfusion imaging in a "single breath-hold" in animal models
  • Predict lung diseases: enable "single breath-hold" monitoring of molecular inflammatory load in animal models
 
 
KOLOR SPCCT imaging will provide unprecedented insights into ventilation, perfusion, molecular inflammatory response, and their interactions. It will advance K-Edge color imaging to deliver specific and quantitative high-resolution imaging using both non-specific and specific tracers on key pulmonary applications in animal models: pulmonary embolism, cancer, and fibrosis. This will lead to a paradigm shift in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung diseases, enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis, thereby increasing patients’ chances of survival.

Members

 
MYRIAD research team 
  • Emmanuel Roux
  • Odyssée Merveille
 

TOMORADIO research teamp

  • Simon Rit
 
 
Tabulations