We use an interventional magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) system to guide minimally invasive treatments, including the radiofrequency (RF) thermal ablation of abdominal cancers. The iMRI system consists of a 0.2 T, clinical C-arm open MRI scanner, an in-room RF-shielded liquid crystal monitor, an MR compatible mouse, a foot pedal, and a RF device. We are currently investigating the extension of these techniques to the treatment of prostate cancer. Since MRI does not reliably show prostate tumors, we intend to incorporate nuclear medicine or MR spectroscopy images with higher sensitivity for detecting and localizing prostate tumors. To incorporate image data from other sources in a live-time iMRI procedure, we intend to register two-dimensional (2D) slice images quickly acquired on the iMRI scanner in live-time with a previously acquired volume of image data. Then, to incorporate an image volume from another modality, it can be registered with the full MR volume. Thus, to incorporate SPECT in an iMRI procedure, we will first register the SPECT image volume with a high resolution MR volume; then, when we register iMRI slice images to the high resolution MR volume, we can also map them to the SPECT functional image data. If this procedure is successful, then a variety of potential visualization tools can help the physician appropriately localize and apply treatments.
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| Registration of SPECT, high-resolution MRI, and interventional MRI of patient data. The top three images show corresponding registered SPECT, high resolution MRI, and simulated iMRI images, respectively. The bottom three windows show the fused images of the three modalities, from left to right, iMRI/MRI, SPECT/MRI, and SPECT/iMRI, respectively. |
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