Visit from Prof. Toshiyuki Gotoh to the Computational Geometry Laboratory-EPUSP

• Grant number: 09/06242-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: August 22, 2009
• End date: September 11, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: Marcos de Sales Guerra Tsuzuki
• Grantee: Marcos de Sales Guerra Tsuzuki
• Visiting researcher: Toshiyuki Gotoh
• Visiting researcher institution: Yokohama National University, Japan
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

So far, the movement of the lung has not been observed, directly or indirectly. We are developing a computational system that from several temporal sequences of images (coronal and sagittal) obtained by magnetic resonance imaging, creates an animated model of the lung. Coronal images are obtained by the front or the back, where both lungs are visible, and sagittal images have only one side of the lung visible. Then, sagittal and coronal images are orthogonal to each other. There are several difficulties in developing such a system. The effectiveness of current treatments for patients with difficulty in breathing is restricted due to the strong limitations of indirect observation, because so far the movement of the lung can not be observed. However, since this project will make it possible to be observed, the medical and scientific community will have a mechanism for more direct understanding of the effect of medical treatment. A direct consequence is that the current number of case studies may be reduced because a more direct relationship between cause and effect (i.e. the treatment of lung and their effectiveness) may be related. The only possibility for observing the movement of the lung is indirect: CT and MRI. CT scan performed three-dimensional rapid acquisition of images with good quality, however the inherent radiation prevents the movement of the lung to be observed. Currently, resonance magnetic imaging is the existing technology that remains. However, magnetic resonance imaging can not obtain a three-dimensional volumetric image as computerized tomography. Using magnetic resonance imaging, it is possible to obtain temporal sequences of two-dimensional images. The magnetic resonance image is obtained by polarization of hydrogen atoms, however, the blood is made of such type of atoms and the blood is pumped by the heart. Therefore the images of the chest obtained by magnetic resonance imaging are compromised when the heart is working. As the goal is to get the visualization of the movement of the lung, you must overcome this difficulty. Another difficulty lies in the fact that the human being does not repeat its respiratory movement regularly, varying in intensity and frequency. The temporal sequences of images acquired certainly have different amplitude and frequency in breathing. We have three years of experience in developing techniques that will overcome the difficulties described above. The activities were developed in cooperation with the research group of Prof. Dr. Toshiyuki Gotoh. And Prof. Dr. Seiichiro Kagei. Partial researches were developed, and this will be an opportunity to integrate the pieces. The visit will be of a technical nature, and two laboratories are going to be visited: the Laboratory of Computational Geometry, Department of Mechatronics Engineering and Mechanical Systems from Escola Politécnica from University of São Paulo, and Medical Research Laboratory LIM-09 - Experimental Pneumology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo. The main purpose of this visit will initially present the progress made by each team in a much deeper level. This should be done through presentations and discussions. Then it will be discussed how to integrate the small systems towards the development of a system for displaying three-dimensional lung movement (healthy and not healthy patients). Based on this understanding, a task division for future work will be done. (AU)