Dr. Otto Zhou Abstract:

Nanotube-Based X-ray for in vivo Cancer Imaging and Radiotherapy

X-ray radiation is widely used today for diagnostic biomedical imaging and radiotherapy. Conventional x-ray source, based on the original design of Roentgen and Coolidge, is a single-pixel device with limited resolution and programmability which restricts the imaging resolution and functionalities of advanced imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and image-guided radiotherapy.

We have developed a new x-ray technology based on the carbon nanotube field emitters which has the potential to fundamentally change how x-ray radiations are generated and utilized. The pixilated multi-beam-field-emission x-ray (MBFEX) source is capable of generating temporally and spatially modulated x-ray radiation that can be readily gated and synchronized with physiological signals.

The technology also has the potential to substantially increase the resolution and scanning speed and reduce the complexity of CT scanners. In this talk we will introduce this new x-ray technology. The imaging capabilities and potentials of the prototype CT systems developed by our group based on this technology will be discussed.