ECE 290 Seminar: Precision Nuclear Medicine: Engineering Solutions from Acquisition to Analysis

Presenter: Spencer L. Bowen, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Description: The Bowen Lab focuses on the development of tools for positron emission tomography (PET) and hybrid systems (e.g. PET/CT), to advance precision imaging for the care and study of oncology, neurology, and cardiology patients. Quantitative metrics from PET are integral to both patient workup and clinical research. However, current approaches to enable quantitative imaging have substantial performance limitations that can compromise study conclusions, fail to generalize across exams and scanners, expose patients to additional ionizing radiation, or necessitate invasive procedures. To address these key barriers, Dr. Bowen and his team investigate advanced acquisition techniques, image reconstruction algorithms, and post-processing methods. Their studies span from digital simulations to human subjects research. This lecture will cover recent developments by the Bowen Lab, including 1) advanced PET data correction methods for low-dose and standalone exams, 2) non-invasive fully quantitative imaging, and 3) leveraging topical sensors to detect faulty radiotracer injections.

Bio: Spencer L. Bowen, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He earned his doctorate in biomedical engineering from University of California, Davis, where he developed hardware and algorithmic solutions to enable quantification with a breast PET/CT scanner. Dr. Bowen then worked as a research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital on precision PET imaging methods for combined PET/MR. Prior to joining the UT Southwestern faculty in 2020, he served as a research assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech-Carilion. Dr. Bowen’s research program is funded by both industry and the NIH. His work has been featured on the cover of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine and detailed by the press.

Hosted by: Professor Soumya Bose, ECE Department

Zoom Link: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/97975378707?pwd=ljcgaCfhMmhZ88Vt5dqQUBVQRjehOx.1