Scott Carter
East Literature Magnet School
Biology/Chemistry Instructor

Edwin Donnelly (Radiology)

My RET experience involved three weeks of participation in Dr. Edwin Donnelly’s lab in the Radiology Department of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In addition to clinical responsibilities, Dr. Donnelly investigates new techniques for creating x-ray images in the thoracic region of the human body. Dr. Donnelly is specifically interested in finding out if edge enhancement effects can be increased by modifying the distance between an object being viewed and the x-ray detector. Tumors and other abnormalities become more visible to clinicians as edge enhancement effects are increased. Improving the quality of images using this technique could provide clinicians with more qualitative information about abnormalities discovered in patients without increasing the radiation dose they receive. In addition, this new imaging technique could assist clinicians in detecting tumors earlier in their patients.

To test Dr. Donnelly’s theory, we designed an acrylic phantom to be viewed in several different situations. Five reservoirs were drilled into the phantom and filled with various liquids to represent bone, soft tissues, and water. Computed Tomography (CT) images were constructed and processed by myself and another RET teacher during the research experience. These images and other data collected will soon be compared to CT images of the phantom using traditional x-ray techniques to see if edge enhancement effects are increased with Dr. Donnelly’s method.

My research experience supplements a curriculum project I’ve written during the RET program. I plan to teach a unit of study on body composition to my high school biology students in the fall of 2006. The unit will include a component on imaging science and how imaging techniques are used to collect qualitative and quantitative information in humans.