New PhD about Improved brain tumor diagnostics

Physicist and researcher Kyrre Eeg Emblem from the Interventional Centre has in his doctoral work developed new methods for faster and more accurate diagnosis of primary brain tumors. The dissertation took place on June 30th 2009 at Faculty Division Rikshospitalet, University of Oslo. Patients with suspected brain tumors are currently referred to MR (Magnetic Resonance) imaging for evaluation of tumor status and for planning of further treatment. With existing methods, the results of this MR exam are dependent on the physician and thus subjective, which in turn can have consequences for the patient's treatment plan.
In the dissertation "Combined structural, microvascular and functional mapping of brain tumors for improved diagnosis and treatment planning” Kyrre Eeg Emblem and his colleagues have shown that automated computer models can replace the current user-dependent image interpretation and that such automated methods may provide more objective and reproducible results.
The dissertation present methods which are part of a larger database where information and experiences from hundreds of previous MR exams are used to improve prediction of disease status and expected response to treatment in new patients. Especially analysis of blood volume measurements in tumors, so-called MR perfusion imaging, has been a central element in the dissertation.