Konica Minolta Healthcare Sponsors SPIE Best Student Paper Award

Wayne, NJ, March 14, 2024 – Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas congratulates the winner and runners-up of the Best Student Paper Award given by the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) at its 2024 Medical Imaging Symposium in San Diego. SPIE is a not-for-profit professional society that helps advance emerging light-based research and technologies across numerous industries. With a history of 150 years of innovation, Konica Minolta is committed to fostering the development of advanced technologies to visualize what is not visible. As a multinational company invested in research to deliver innovations in imaging technologies, Konica Minolta sponsored the award as part of its continued commitment to education and support of young scientists in medical imaging.

The winner was Olivia F. Sandvold, a PhD student in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania for her paper, “Hybrid spectral CT system with clinical rapid kVp-switching X-ray tube and dual-layer detector for improved iodine quantification.” The introduction of clinical spectral CT imaging has enabled quantitative material information and increased diagnostic utility of CT. However, it is challenged by lack of sensitivity, particularly for the detection of low concentrations of iodine contrast material in pediatric patients. Sandvold and her collaborators investigated combining the benefits of both spectral CT techniques in use today, kVp-switching and energy sensitive detectors. They demonstrated the first use of a conventional X-ray source and detector in a prototype hybrid system, which delivered substantial increases in signal-to-noise ratio and image quality compared to current technology. This approach could lead to improved spectral imaging performance for a more diverse range of patients and disease conditions.

The runners-up were Rickard Brunskog, a PhD student in the Physics of Medical Imaging Division at The Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, Sweden, for his paper, "Experimental Evaluation of a Micron-Resolution CT Detector,” and Grace M. Minesinger, a 2nd year Medical Physics PhD student at University of Wisconsin – Madison, for her paper, “FEM Deformable Liver Registration to Facilitate CBCT Guided Histotripsy.” Richard presented his work on the experimental validation of simulation tools for a very high resolution, energy-sensitive CT detector. Grace shared her research on the development and validation of a non-rigid motion model to improve the planning and accuracy of focused ultrasound histotripsy treatments.

 “Konica Minolta is proud to be a sponsor of the SPIE Medical Imaging Symposium and excited to support research and innovation in basic science applied to medical imaging,” says John Sabol, Clinical Research Manager, Konica Minolta Healthcare. “We commend Olivia F. Sandvold, runners-up Rickard Brunskog and Grace M. Minesinger and all the student researchers for the excellent papers and presentations at the symposium. As a 150-year-old company dedicated to innovating imaging for many applications, we understand that scientific research is vital to advancing medical imaging to improve patient care and outcomes. We are pleased to recognize and support today’s student researchers as they work toward becoming the innovators of tomorrow.”