 Jan 2007 - Vol 1, Issue 2 |
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| Greetings! |
It is our pleasure to supply you with this month's issue of Vital InsightTM,
your complete resource for all of your scientific & medical visualization
needs.
We at BioDigital Systems
are commited in bringing you the best and most technologically advanced methods for understanding
complex biotechnology, healthcare and medical concepts in a clear and concise manner.
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Cold Spring Labs Visualizes Complex Brain Data |
BioDigital Systems recently completed animation work for Dmitri Chklovskii a neuroscientist at Cold Spring Harbor Labs
on Long Island. "Our goal is to understand brain function on the level of neuronal circuits. Currently, we focus on
circuit structure and structure-function relationships. We develop automated image processing algorithms,
analyze data in creative ways, and build a theoretical framework based on engineering principles." Chklovskii says.
The animation (pictured) is one of several BioDigital hopes to embark upon with Dmitri and his lab. It focuses on the
process of slicing brain matter and preparing it for view under an extremely powerful electron microscope. From the
volume segmentation provided by Dmitri's lab, BioDigital created a 3D cluster representation of the basic neural
materials that make up the brain - dendrites, axions & gleas. Now that the cluster is visualized, Dmitri can use this
visual information to present his findings in a more understandable fashion. This is one small portion of a multi-tiered
process. It is conceivable that the entire brain could be mapped and visualized over time and complex concepts such as
electrical firing of neurons and brain growth and deterioration could be captured, modeled and animated from real brain
data going forward.
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BioDigital Systems Featured Partner: Image Reading Center |
BThe Image Reading Center (IRC) is one of the leading Body Composition Analysis Centers in the world.
It has a core laboratory in New York City and has its roots with the Obesity/Nutrition Research Center (ONRC)
which was established in 1979 and is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases (NIDDK). At the IRC, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT) and Dual-Energy
X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scans are used to quantify numerous body composition compartments of subjects
involved in scientific and clinical studies. The center has gained an enormous amount of experience by
analyzing thousands of scans while participating in several national and international multi-center trials.
This experience has enabled the center to: standardize analysis protocols, refine image acquisition technique,
quantify anatomic biomarkers, train analysts, and establish a workflow with efficient quality control.
The IRC has access to a high-end Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), which allows for the
management of scan images. Equipped with sophisticated software and established protocols, scans are analyzed
to quantify the volumes of various tissues including regional adipose tissue, bone and muscle. Digitized scan
results are delivered after thorough analysis and in-depth review. Currently the center is focused on advances
in the areas of measuring liver fat, quantifying specific brain hemispheres, organ volumes, identification of
specific depots within subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, differentiation and measurement of intra-
and inter-muscular adipose tissue, and cardiac function parameters.
BioDigital Systems in conjunction with The Image Reading Center has worked on several intriguing projects
including an animation for a Canadian biotechnology company who wanted to visualize real brain data to show their
drug's effective therapy to stimulate adult neural stem cells.
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BDS in Animation Magazine! |
BioDigital Systems was recently featured in Animation Magazine as a technology company to watch out for
in the medical simulation marketplace. The article focused on our expertise in taking real-world medical
data such as CT Scans and creating anatomically accurate models for surgical training. Additionally, the
company's affiliation with some major players in the academic medical world such as The New York University
School of Medicine and Weill Cornell help them interface with some of the brightest minds in the medical
community looking for new and advanced ways of learning anatomy and surgical procedures.
You can read the entire article in the November, 2006 issue on pages 76-77 entitled Meet the
New Physician's Assistants. www.animationmagazine.net
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Contact BioDigital Systems when considering your medical visualization, animation and informatics needs.
Whether creating enhanced presentations for a conference or trying to communicate your ideas to the marketing,
scientific and financial communities, BioDigital will help you clearly communicate your story in a professional,
compelling and visually stunning manner.
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