With research dedicated SPECT/CT imaging facilities and a wide range of expertise both within the group and through our internal and external collaborations, we are able to carry out a broad spectrum of respiratory research.
We have research dedicated SPECT/CT facilities, which we use for all our functional and deposition work. This offers 2D planar gamma camera imaging, 3D Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging and low-dose CT.
We also have access to a Siemens Sensation 64 multi-slice HRCT scanner, which we use to generated high resolution, anatomical images of the lungs.
We utilise a combination of commercially available software and our own, in-house developed software tools to maximise the computational analysis capabilities of the group. Combined with 2 high-end imaging workstations and dedicated data storage facilities, this gives us the resources required to perform almost any kind of analysis relevent to respiratory imaging.
The group has extensive experience using in vivo, clinical trial formats to investigate the site of deposition of aerosols. Previous work has concentrated on the assessment of aerosol deposition following manipulation of particle size, driving carrier gas, inhalation manoeuvre, effects of disease and effect of body position.
Aerosol deposition can be assessed using 2D and 3D (SPECT) gamma camera measurements, combined with high and/or low resolution CT. Data can then be interpreted as percentage deposition within the lungs and can be extrapolated to include estimates of percentage deposition per lobe and per airway generation.