Optical-based molecular imaging and tomography

Curriculum Vitea

Research Interests:

Dr. Godavarty’s research work focuses in the area of optical-based molecular imaging (fluorescence-enhanced optical imaging) and tomography. Optical imaging is based on the principles of near-infrared light propagation in scattering media (such as biological tissues) and the use of external fluorescent contrast agents to better differentiate normal and diseased tissues based on the differences in their optical properties. The research work requires an understanding of transport phenomena in biological systems, application of experimental skills towards instrument development, incorporation of optimization and mathematical tools towards image reconstructions, and development of biomedical aspects of engineering towards practical applications, such as cancer diagnostics, drug delivery, and in general, body imaging.

Near-infrared (NIR) light propagation in a dense scattering media is modeled based on the physics of light transport. The bioinstrumentation involved in the development of optical-based imaging systems is complimented by the 2D/3D tomographic (i.e. image reconstruction) analysis carried out using computational tools. Bioinstrumentation includes the development of optical-based imaging systems using near-infrared (NIR) light sources (i.e. laser diodes) and detectors (i.e. PMTs and CCD cameras). Three-dimensional tomographic analysis of the optical images is carried out using appropriate light propagation models and computationally intense mathematical tools in order to locate regions of interest.

Currently, the work is focussed on phantom and small animal studies using time-dependent optical imaging systems which perform both absorption-based and lifetime-based optical imaging. Current research projects include: (i) Development of a frequency-domain optical imaging system for imaging studies on phantoms and small animal models, (ii) Design and testing of new fluorescent contrast agents for optical-based molecular imaging, (iii) Ongoing lifetime-based optical imaging and tomographic studies.

Selected Publications:

A. Godavarty, M. J. Eppstein, C. Zhang, E. M. Sevick-Muraca, “Detection of single and multiple targets in tissue phantoms using fluorescence-enhanced optical imaging,” Radiology (accepted) 2004.

A.Godavarty, A. B. Thompson, R. Roy, M. J. Eppstein, C. Zhang, M. Gurfinkel, E. M. Sevick-Muraca, “Diagnostic imaging of breast cancer using fluorescence-enhanced optical tomography: phantom studies,” J. Biomedical Optics: Special edition on Biomedical Optics and Women’s Health 9(3):488-496 (2004).

A.Godavarty, C. Zhang, M. J. Eppstein, E. M. Sevick-Muraca, “Fluorescence-enhanced optical imaging of large phantoms using single and simultaneous dual point illumination geometries,” Medical Physics 31(2): 183-190 (2004).

A. Godavarty, M. J. Eppstein, C. Zhang, S. Theru, A. B. Thompson, M. Gurfinkel, E. M. Sevick-Muraca, “Fluorescence-enhanced optical imaging in large tissue volumes using a gain modulated ICCD camera,” Physics in Medicine and Biology 48(12):1701-1702 (2003).

M. J. Eppstein, F Fedele, J. Laible, C. Zhang, A. Godavarty, E. M. Sevick-Muraca, “A comparison of exact and approximate adjoint sensitivities in fluorescence tomography,” IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging 22(10): 1215-1223 (2003).

A. Godavarty, D. J. Hawrysz, R. Roy, E. M. Sevick-Muraca, M. J. Eppstein, “The influence of the refractive index-mismatch at the boundaries measured in fluorescence-enhanced frequency-domain photon migration imaging,” Optics Express 10(15): 653-662 (2002).

M. J. Eppstein, D. J. D. Hawrysz, A. Godavarty, E. M. Sevick-Muraca, “Three-dimensional near-infrared fluorescence tomography with Bayesian methologies for image reconstruction from sparse and noisy data sets,” The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 99(15): 9619-9624 (2002).