Absolute dose measurements This research is done in collaboration with NIST and local hospitals (collaborators). It will provide the construction of detectors that have the capability of 2D and 3D dose measurements within 100 μm.

In-vivo dose distribution measurements This research is done in collaboration with local hospitals and industries across the nation (collaborators). It will provide novel devices that have capabilities of measuring the dose distribution effectively deliverd within a patient during Brachytherapy treatments.

Cancer cells study This research focuses on the energy dependence of cancer cells as well as on the physics responsible for cancer cell death. It also involves the development of a combined Geant4 and biomolecular Monte Carlo simulation code.

Gamma Camera (Contact Person: Dr. Cynthia Keppel or Dr. Paul Guèye)

Hand-held surgical probe (Keppel) In collaboration with Jefferson Lab, Duke University, East Carolina Medical School and Riverside Regional Medical Center, CAMI developed a new tool that could improve pre- and intra-operative detection of cancerous lesions. This hand-held tool, which could be used either before or during surgery, makes use of special particle detecting devices.

Imaging device (Keppel) In collaboration with Jefferson Lab, CAMI developed a new breast cancer imaging device. This new device would help reducing the need for surgical biopsies and enhancing early detection of breast cancer. More information can be found at: Jefferson Lab article.jpg, Sentara Press and on the Apple web site.

Image optimization (Guèye) This research aims at developing new mathematical algorythms to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio for image resolution improvement. Work done in collaboration with Jefferson Lab and Dilon Technology.

Geant4 (Contact Person: Dr. Paul Guèye)

For most of the research program listed above, GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations are being done. The expertise built is bringing CAMI as one of the leading institution in the nation with this capability. The simulations are being developed under the GLab Geant4 environment.

Proton Therapy (Contact Person: Dr. Cynthia Keppel or Dr. Vahagn Nazaryan )

Radio-biologically optimize treatment planning The ultimate objective of our research is to facilitate the expected benefits of increasingly conformal treatment capabilities, as well as to prevent harm from the anticipated near-term technological improvements in proton radiotherapy, by fully characterizing the radiobiological effects of therapeutic proton beams and by providing vastly improved cell-killing models for treatment planning algorithms.

Partial breast irradiation Recently, methods for accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) have been developed. These allow patients to complete radiation treatment in 5 days. Our research efforts are directed towards technology development for intracavitary brachytherapy (IB), which is a new method for APBI, gaining widespread popularity for its simplicity, brevity, and reduction of morbidity traditionally associated with WBRT. Successful implementation of the proposed technology will make this excellent new procedure available to a larger population of women, as well as cosmetically more favorable to all. The improved access to APBI and therefore also to BCT will indisputably reduce breast tumor recurrence and hence also the mortality associated with it.

More can be found here.