The lab focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer using advanced imaging techniques. There are 3 main projects: breast tomosynthesis, computer aided diagnosis, and improved treatment planning for radiation therapy.

First, while mammography remains the gold standard in breast cancer screening, it has many well known limitations. Dr. Lo leads a team from the Ravin Advanced Imaging Laboratories (see website above) which collaborates closely with Siemens Healthcare to develop breast tomosynthesis, a form of limited-angle tomography using a modified digital mammography system. Tomosynthesis can acquire a 3D image quickly, easily, and at the same dose as a conventional mammogram. Tomosynthesis will improve sensitivity of breast cancer diagnosis by helping radiologists to detect subtle lesions which would otherwise be obscured. In addition, tomosynthesis will also improve specificity since radiologists can better characterize benign cases and thus avoid unnecessary follow-up imaging studies and surgical procedures. For these reasons, tomosynthesis is the most exciting recent development in breast imaging, and the only technology that can actually replace mammography in the near future. Duke is now conducting clinical trials using the first ever Siemens breast tomosynthesis prototype.

Second, for over a decade, we have been a leader in computer aided diagnosis (CAD), which is an interdisciplinary field combining elements of medical physics, engineering, statistics, and bioinformatics. We have developed automated detection algorithms which use computer vision techniques to localize suspicious mammographic lesions. We have also designed predictive models which use machine learning and statistical analysis in order to classify mammograms or sonograms as benign versus malignant. During these studies, we compiled one of the largest multi-institution breast cancer databases with approximately 5000 cases.

Finally, we are extending CAD techniques from radiology toward the problem of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), specifically to improve treatment planning for prostate cancer. Our goal is to improve the efficiency and safety of treatment plans.

Ranger NT, Lo JY, Samei E. A technique optimization protocol and the potential for dose reduction in digital mammography. Med Phys. 2010 Mar;37(3):962-9. Abstract

Shafer CM, Samei E, Lo JY. The quantitative potential for breast tomosynthesis imaging. Med Phys. 2010 Mar;37(3):1004-16. Abstract

Chawla AS, Lo JY, Baker JA, Samei E. Optimized image acquisition for breast tomosynthesis in projection and reconstruction space. Med Phys. 2009 Nov;36(11):4859-69. Abstract

Chawla AS, Saunders RS, Singh S, Lo JY, Samei E. Towards optimized acquisition scheme for multiprojection correlation imaging of breast cancer. Acad Radiol. 2009 Apr;16(4):456-63. Abstract

Jesneck JL, Mukherjee S, Yurkovetsky Z, Clyde M, Marks JR, Lokshin AE, Lo JY. Do serum biomarkers really measure breast cancer? BMC Cancer. 2009;9:164. Abstract

Saunders RS Jr, Samei E, Lo JY, Baker JA. Can compression be reduced for breast tomosynthesis? Monte carlo study on mass and microcalcification conspicuity in tomosynthesis. Radiology. 2009 Jun;251(3):673-82. Abstract

Chawla AS, Samei E, Saunders RS, Lo JY, Baker JA. A mathematical model platform for optimizing a multiprojection breast imaging system. Med Phys. 2008 Apr;35(4):1337-45. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Kapadia AJ, Bender JE, Sharma AC, Xia JQ, Harrawood BP, Tourassi GD, Lo JY, Crowell AS, Kiser MR, Howell CR. Neutron-stimulated emission computed tomography of a multi-element phantom. Phys Med Biol. 2008 May 7;53(9):2313-26. Abstract

Karellas A, Lo JY, Orton CG. Point/Counterpoint. Cone beam x-ray CT will be superior to digital x-ray tomosynthesis in imaging the breast and delineating cancer. Med Phys. 2008 Feb;35(2):409-11. Abstract

Mazurowski MA, Habas PA, Zurada JM, Lo JY, Baker JA, Tourassi GD. Training neural network classifiers for medical decision making: the effects of imbalanced datasets on classification performance. Neural Netw. 2008 Mar-Apr;21(2-3):427-36. Abstract

Singh S, Tourassi GD, Baker JA, Samei E, Lo JY. Automated breast mass detection in 3D reconstructed tomosynthesis volumes: a featureless approach. Med Phys. 2008 Aug;35(8):3626-36. Abstract

Williams MB, Raghunathan P, More MJ, Seibert JA, Kwan A, Lo JY, Samei E, Ranger NT, Fajardo LL, McGruder A, McGruder SM, Maidment AD, Yaffe MJ, Bloomquist A, Mawdsley GE. Optimization of exposure parameters in full field digital mammography. Med Phys. 2008 Jun;35(6):2414-23. Abstract

Xia JQ, Lo JY, Yang K, Floyd CE Jr, Boone JM. Dedicated breast computed tomography: volume image denoising via a partial-diffusion equation based technique. Med Phys. 2008 May;35(5):1950-8. Abstract

Baydush AH, Catarious DM, Lo JY, Floyd CE. Incorporation of a Laguerre-Gauss channelized Hotelling observer for false-positive reduction in a mammographic mass CAD system. J Digit Imaging. 2007 Jun;20(2):196-202. Abstract

Chen Y, Lo JY, Dobbins JT 3rd. Importance of point-by-point back projection correction for isocentric motion in digital breast tomosynthesis: relevance to morphology of structures such as microcalcifications. Med Phys. 2007 Oct;34(10):3885-92. Abstract

Jesneck JL, Lo JY, Baker JA. Breast mass lesions: computer-aided diagnosis models with mammographic and sonographic descriptors. Radiology. 2007 Aug;244(2):390-8. Abstract

Samei E, Stebbins SA, Dobbins JT 3rd, McAdams HP, Lo JY. Multiprojection correlation imaging for improved detection of pulmonary nodules. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2007 May;188(5):1239-45. Abstract

Tourassi GD, Harrawood B, Singh S, Lo JY, Floyd CE. Evaluation of information-theoretic similarity measures for content-based retrieval and detection of masses in mammograms. Med Phys. 2007 Jan;34(1):140-50. Abstract

Tourassi GD, Harrawood B, Singh S, Lo JY. Information-theoretic CAD system in mammography: entropy-based indexing for computational efficiency and robust performance. Med Phys. 2007 Aug;34(8):3193-204. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Bender JE, Sharma AC, Kapadia A, Xia J, Harrawood B, Tourassi GD, Lo JY, Crowell A, Howell C. Introduction to neutron stimulated emission computed tomography. Phys Med Biol. 2006 Jul 21;51(14):3375-90. Abstract

Jesneck JL, Nolte LW, Baker JA, Floyd CE, Lo JY. Optimized approach to decision fusion of heterogeneous data for breast cancer diagnosis. Med Phys. 2006 Aug;33(8):2945-54. Abstract

Baker JA, Rosen EL, Crockett MM, Lo JY. Accuracy of segmentation of a commercial computer-aided detection system for mammography. Radiology. 2005 May;235(2):385-90. Abstract

Bilska-Wolak AO, Floyd CE Jr, Lo JY, Baker JA. Computer aid for decision to biopsy breast masses on mammography: validation on new cases. Acad Radiol. 2005 Jun;12(6):671-80. Abstract

Samei E, Dobbins JT 3rd, Lo JY, Tornai MP. A framework for optimising the radiographic technique in digital X-ray imaging. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2005;114(1-3):220-9. Abstract

Samei E, Lo JY, Yoshizumi TT, Jesneck JL, Dobbins Iii JT, Floyd CE Jr, McAdams HP, Ravin CE. Comparative Scatter and Dose Performance of Slot-Scan and Full-Field Digital Chest Radiography Systems. Radiology. 2005 Apr 21. Abstract

Saunders RS Jr, Samei E, Jesneck JL, Lo JY. Physical characterization of a prototype selenium-based full field digital mammography detector. Med Phys. 2005 Feb;32(2):588-99. Abstract

Baker JA, Lo JY, Delong DM, Floyd CE. Computer-aided detection in screening mammography: variability in cues. Radiology. 2004 Nov;233(2):411-7. Abstract

Samei E, Saunders RS, Lo JY, Dobbins JT 3rd, Jesneck JL, Floyd CE, Ravin CE. Fundamental imaging characteristics of a slot-scan digital chest radiographic system. Med Phys. 2004 Sep;31(9):2687-98. Abstract

Baker JA, Rosen EL, Lo JY, Gimenez EI, Walsh R, Soo MS. Computer-aided detection (CAD) in screening mammography: sensitivity of commercial CAD systems for detecting architectural distortion. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003 Oct;181(4):1083-8. Abstract

Bilska-Wolak AO, Floyd CE Jr, Nolte LW, Lo JY. Application of likelihood ratio to classification of mammographic masses; performance comparison to case-based reasoning. Med Phys. 2003 May;30(5):949-58. Abstract

Markey MK, Lo JY, Tourassi GD, Floyd CE. Self-organizing map for cluster analysis of a breast cancer database. Artif Intell Med. 2003 Feb;27(2):113-27. Abstract

Gavrielides MA, Lo JY, Floyd CE Jr. Parameter optimization of a computer-aided diagnosis scheme for the segmentation of microcalcification clusters in mammograms. Med Phys. 2002 Apr;29(4):475-83. Abstract

Keogan MT, Lo JY, Freed KS, Raptopoulos V, Blake S, Kamel IR, Weisinger K, Rosen MP, Nelson RC. Outcome analysis of patients with acute pancreatitis by using an artificial neural network. Acad Radiol. 2002 Apr;9(4):410-9. Abstract

Lo JY, Markey MK, Baker JA, Floyd CE Jr. Cross-institutional evaluation of BI-RADS predictive model for mammographic diagnosis of breast cancer. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002 Feb;178(2):457-63. Abstract

Markey MK, Lo JY, Floyd CE Jr. Differences between computer-aided diagnosis of breast masses and that of calcifications. Radiology. 2002 May;223(2):489-93. Abstract

Markey MK, Lo JY, Vargas-Voracek R, Tourassi GD, Floyd CE Jr. Perceptron error surface analysis: a case study in breast cancer diagnosis. Comput Biol Med. 2002 Mar;32(2):99-109. Abstract

Baydush AH, Catarious DM Jr, Lo JY, Abbey CK, Floyd CE Jr. Computerized classification of suspicious regions in chest radiographs using subregion Hotelling observers. Med Phys. 2001 Dec;28(12):2403-9. Abstract

Tourassi GD, Markey MK, Lo JY, Floyd CE Jr. A neural network approach to breast cancer diagnosis as a constraint satisfaction problem. Med Phys. 2001 May;28(5):804-11. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Lo JY, Tourassi GD. Case-based reasoning computer algorithm that uses mammographic findings for breast biopsy decisions. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2000 Nov;175(5):1347-52. Abstract

Gavrielides MA, Lo JY, Vargas-Voracek R, Floyd CE Jr. Segmentation of suspicious clustered microcalcifications in mammograms. Med Phys. 2000 Jan;27(1):13-22. Abstract

Lo JY, Baker JA, Kornguth PJ, Floyd CE Jr. Effect of patient history data on the prediction of breast cancer from mammographic findings with artificial neural networks. Acad Radiol. 1999 Jan;6(1):10-5. Abstract

Munley MT, Lo JY, Sibley GS, Bentel GC, Anscher MS, Marks LB. A neural network to predict symptomatic lung injury. Phys Med Biol. 1999 Sep;44(9):2241-9. Abstract

Freed KS, Lo JY, Baker JA, Floyd CE Jr, Low VH, Seabourn JT, Nelson RC. Predictive model for the diagnosis of intraabdominal abscess. Acad Radiol. 1998 Jul;5(7):473-9. Abstract

Lo JY, Baker JA, Kornguth PJ, Iglehart JD, Floyd CE Jr. Predicting breast cancer invasion with artificial neural networks on the basis of mammographic features. Radiology. 1997 Apr;203(1):159-63. Abstract

Baker JA, Kornguth PJ, Lo JY, Floyd CE Jr. Artificial neural network: improving the quality of breast biopsy recommendations. Radiology. 1996 Jan;198(1):131-5. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Patz EF Jr, Lo JY, Vittitoe NF, Stambaugh LE. Diffuse nodular lung disease on chest radiographs: a pilot study of characterization by fractal dimension. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1996 Nov;167(5):1185-7. Abstract

Baker JA, Kornguth PJ, Lo JY, Williford ME, Floyd CE Jr. Breast cancer: prediction with artificial neural network based on BI-RADS standardized lexicon. Radiology. 1995 Sep;196(3):817-22. Abstract

Lo JY, Baker JA, Kornguth PJ, Floyd CE Jr. Computer-aided diagnosis of breast cancer: artificial neural network approach for optimized merging of mammographic features. Acad Radiol. 1995 Oct;2(10):841-50. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Baydush AH, Lo JY, Bowsher JE, Ravin CE. Bayesian restoration of chest radiographs. Scatter compensation with improved signal-to-noise ratio. Invest Radiol. 1994 Oct;29(10):904-10. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Lo JY, Yun AJ, Sullivan DC, Kornguth PJ. Prediction of breast cancer malignancy using an artificial neural network. Cancer. 1994 Dec 1;74(11):2944-8. Abstract

Lo JY, Floyd CE Jr, Baker JA, Ravin CE. Scatter compensation in digital chest radiography using the posterior beam stop technique. Med Phys. 1994 Mar;21(3):435-43. Abstract

Baker JA, Floyd CE Jr, Lo JY, Ravin CE. Observer evaluation of scatter subtraction for digital portable chest radiographs. Invest Radiol. 1993 Aug;28(8):667-70. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Baydush AH, Lo JY, Bowsher JE, Ravin CE. Scatter compensation for digital chest radiography using maximum likelihood expectation maximization. Invest Radiol. 1993 May;28(5):427-33. Abstract

Jordan LK 3rd, Floyd CE Jr, Lo JY, Ravin CE. Measurement of scatter fractions in erect posteroanterior and lateral chest radiography. Radiology. 1993 Jul;188(1):215-8. Abstract

Lo JY, Floyd CE Jr, Baker JA, Ravin CE. An artificial neural network for estimating scatter exposures in portable chest radiography. Med Phys. 1993 Jul-Aug;20(4):965-73. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Baker JA, Lo JY, Ravin CE. Measurement of scatter fractions in clinical bedside radiography. Radiology. 1992 Jun;183(3):857-61. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Baker JA, Lo JY, Ravin CE. Posterior beam-stop method for scatter fraction measurement in digital radiography. Invest Radiol. 1992 Feb;27(2):119-23. Abstract

Floyd CE Jr, Lo JY, Chotas HG, Ravin CE. Quantitative scatter measurement in digital radiography using a photostimulable phosphor imaging system. Med Phys. 1991 May-Jun;18(3):408-13. Abstract

Chotas HG, Floyd CE Jr, Dobbins JT 3rd, Lo JY, Ravin CE. Scatter fractions in AMBER imaging. Radiology. 1990 Dec;177(3):879-80. Abstract