WebProNews

Tag: 3-D

  • Breast Cancer 3-D Imaging Technique Provides Greater Clarity

    Researchers at UCLA have announced a new technique that produces clearer 3-D images of breast tissue while using a lower dose of X-ray radiation than a traditional mammogram.

    The higher-quality images are two to three times sharper than those created using current CT scanner technology. The researchers say that the new images may be able to detect breast tumors earlier and with greater accuracy. The research on the new technique is documented in a new study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

    The new technique, developed by researchers at UCLA, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, and Ludwig Maximilians University, uses a detection method called phase contrast tomography to X-ray breast tissue from multiple angles. That data is then passed through what UCLA is calling a breakthrough computing algorithm named equally sloped tomography (EST). 512 high-quality images are used by EST to reconstruct a 3-D images of a breast at a higher resolution than ever before, according to UCLA.

    “The technology used in mammogram screenings has been around for more than 100 years,” said Paola Coan, professor of X-ray imaging at Ludwig Maximilians University. “We want to see the difference between healthy tissue and the cancer using X-rays, and that difference can be very difficult to see, particularly in the breast, using standard techniques. The idea we used here was to combine phase contrast tomography with EST, and this combination is what gave us much higher quality 3-D images than ever before.”

    Women won’t be getting these new 3-D mammograms any time soon, unfortunately. Alberto Bravin, managing physicist of the biomedical research laboratory at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, emphasized that this technology is still undergoing research.

    “A high-quality X-ray source is an absolute requirement for this technique,” said Bravin. “While we can demonstrate the power of our technology, the X-ray source must come from a small enough device for it to become commonly used for breast cancer screening. Many research groups are actively working to develop this smaller X-ray source. Once this hurdle is cleared, our research is poised to make a big impact on society.”

    (Images courtesy UCLA)

  • James Cameron Pushes 3-D in China

    Love it or hate it, 3-D moviemaking has some huge support from powerful players in the movie industry and it won’t be going away anytime soon.

    James Cameron’s Cameron Pace Group announced today that it will be launching a venture to push 3-D moviemaking in China. According to an Associated Press report, the company will be partnering with two Chinese companies to offer 3-D movie technology and production services. The venture will be based in Tianjin, China, where Cameron Pace will work with the state-run Tianjin North Film Group and the Tianjing Binhai Hi-Tech Development Group. There is even mention of a possible deal with China Central Television, a Chinese state-run network, to create 3-D television in the country.

    Cameron Pace Group is looking to take advantage of the fast-growing Chinese movie market. The AP quoted Cameron as saying China is “an enormous untapped market” that is ripe for a transition to 3-D. The story also points out that, following a slowdown of U.S. movie revenues, the industry is looking to quickly jump-start the Chinese movie market.

    This follows an announcement by the Chinese government in March which stated that it would allow 14 more foreign movies to be played per year, as long as those movies are in 3-D or on IMAX. The Chinese government places tough restrictions on the number of foreign movies that can be played in China, as well as how much revenue foreign companies can make from the ticket sales.

    It’s good for companies such as Cameron Pace to be able to expand their services to the untapped movie market in China, yet I cringe at the thought of 3-D movies being the gimmick American cinema is known for. High prices for tickets to 3-D movies might have saved Hollywood from disaster the past few years, but the theatre business model is still in trouble. As Dark Knight Rises director Christopher Nolan points out, audiences are lukewarm about the 3-D trend. Larger high-definition TV sets, 3-D TV sets, and better home audio systems are all lowering steadily in price, making the movie-going experience available in the home for many in the West.