Hello! My name is Xinjie Zeng, a PHD student at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Stony Brook University. My research journey started from my BSc in Chongqing University, China. In Chongqing University, joined the New Energy Vehicle and Power Transmission Laboratory and engaged in the design and experiment testing of DSP experimental board, focusing on the part of communicator. With this experience, I started thinking how to pursue a doctor’s degree in interdisciplinary research. After I was admitted by Stony Brook University for PhD, I planned to research in electrical engineering with medical imaging. In the year 2020, I started working at Dr. Goldan’s Lab and thus learned a lot about Positron emission tomography (PET) and developed a keen interest into its potential for diagnosis, treatment selection, staging and research of various malignancies. Then after evaluation, I joined in the Novel Medical Imagining Goldan laboratory under the Department of Radiology.
PET is a functional imaging modality that uses radiotracers to visualize and measure changes in metabolic processes. One part of my doctorate research in the beginning is experimental characterization of our unique Prism-PET detector modules such as DOI resolution, energy resolution and etc. One of my most important research projects is performance evaluation of conformal brain PET scanner. It is exciting and meaning for me to work on this project from GATE simulation to the first real scanner prototype. I have also developed the CASToR algorithm to achieve image reconstruction for our unique conformal PET scanners. The long-term goal of my PhD research seeks to implement the ultra-high resolution, high-sensitivity and cost-effective PET scanner that can be applied in the field of oncology, neuroimaging and cardiology.
(a) Schematic of the unique prismatoid designs at the center, edge and corner. (b) Prism-PET module