The Challenge

Since its invention in the early 1970’s, computer tomography (CT) has become one of the dominant approaches to non-invasive diagnostic imaging. Yet despite its tremendous utility, there is a continuing desire to push the limits of detection, while minimizing the overall radiation exposure to the patient. One approach to accomplishing this objective is to alter the image formation process. One of the leading researchers in this field is Dr. Homer Pien at Massachusetts General Hospital. According to Dr. Pien, in contrast to conventional filtered back-projection image reconstruction algorithms, various research groups are looking into the potential for iterative reconstruction algorithms to substantially reduce radiation dosage while improving image signal-to-noise ratio and resolution. The major impediment to iterative reconstructions, however, is the vast amount of computation necessary to form high quality images. His research group (the Laboratory for Medical Imaging and Computations, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital), utilizes a variety of computing platforms to prototype and validate their iterative reconstruction algorithms.

The Solution

NZO Cloud delivered a NZO Cloud integrated with NVIDIA Telsa Graphical Processor Units (GPU). The NZO Cloud was delivered as a turn key solution with a custom high performance cloud instance. This allowed Dr. Pien to begin running jobs immediately.

Their high performance computing solution from NZO Cloud provides a stable platform on which they can rapidly implement their algorithms using standard high-level programming languages (e.g., C/C++) and MPI standards. The NZO Cloud computing instance architecture provides the inherent parallelism which permits their code to execute in a reasonable amount of time.

The NZO Cloud delivered as a turn key solution with high performing Cloud instances that just worked and allow us to expedite our own processing.

Dr Pien THE LABORATORY FOR MEDICAL IMAGING AND COMPUTATIONS

Organizational Profile

The Laboratory for Medical Imaging and Computations is dedicated to improving the quality of clinical medical imaging systems through the use of sophisticated image processing and computational techniques. As part of the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Department of Radiology, LMIC serves as a laboratory where clinical imaging problems can find engineering solutions arising from the fields of signal/image processing, electrical engineering, computer science, and computer engineering.