Contributed Images and Selected Articles:
Contributed by: Celina Imielinska, PhD, Columbia University

1. ITK - Visible Human Project Segmentation and Registration Toolkit, [1-11] and Integrated System for Quantification of Adipose Tissue from Whole Body MRI Scan [12-15]. The ITK www.itk.org is an open source repository of tools for segmentation and registration of the Visible Human and radiological data already attracting an international community of users. Under the auspices of the ITK, the collaboration between Columbia (Dr. Imielinska, Dr. Laine, Jin, Dr. Angelini, Dr. Schmidt, Dr. Molholt, and Dr. LeBlanc) and University of Pennsylvania (Dr. Metaxas and Dr. Udupa) produced the Hybrid Segmentation Engine [1-11] that consists of component modules for automated segmentation of radiological patient and the Visible Human data. Integrated System for Quantification of Adipose Tissue From Whole Body MRI Scan, [12-15], is a project that Dr, Imielinska has worked on with Dr. Andrew Laine, Yinpeng Jin, and Dr. Steve Heymsfield, among others, to build an integrated imaging system to improve the overall performance of acquisition, segmentation, quantification and analysis of adipose tissues in humans obtained from whole body MRI scans.
2. Vesalius Project^TM [16-32]. The mission of the Vesalius Project^TM ,[16-32], the Visible Human Project, [33], at Columbia, that Dr. Imielinska founded together with Dr. Molholt and Ewa Soliz in 1996, is to systematically develop 3D anatomy models, from the Visible Human datasets, and incorporate the visualizations into network-based segments of the anatomy curriculum at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. This is a long term and tedious task that requires strong interdisciplinary collaboration among experts in the areas of image processing, computer graphics, 3D visualization, anatomy, cognitive psychology, computational linguistics and multimedia, all of whom have had a role in this project. We have introduced the electronic anatomy curriculum in a broad and systematic fashion. Anatomist Dr. Judith Venuti used 3D visualizations obtained from the Visible Human data in lectures on male pelvic anatomy [16,22,27], and starting spring of 2002 semester the foot anatomy lesson has been taught by Dr. Ahmet Sinav from the Foot Anatomy Atlas [19].
3. Framework for Evaluating Image Segmentation Methods. In a collaborative project with Dr. Jay Udupa from Medical Image Processing Group at the Department of Radiology at University of Pennsylvania, Drs. Imielinska, Laine, Schmidt, and Molholt at Columbia University are working to create a framework for evaluating image segmentation methods [12] [34-35]. We propose to dewgn, develop, implement, test, evaluate, and deploy a framework, complete with methods, image data, and software, for comprehensively evaluating algorithms that are developed for segmenting a wide range of medical images. Our hypothesis is that such a framework, and the associated image data and software will provide basic scientists as well as biomedical investigators with a common, and readily deployable, usable means for establishing standard references suitable for their applications.
4. Development of a Training Tool for Endotracheal Intubation: [36-39]. We develop techniques for reconstruction and 3D modeling of human anatomy to be used in an augmented reality tool dewgned to train medical practitioners to perform endotracheal intubation. The challenge is to create realistic 3D models of anatomical structures that "participate" in the endotracheal intubation (ETI), that can be manipulated in real-time in interactive environments. This work is done together with the ODALab at School of Optics, University of Central Florida, where Dr. Jannick Rolland and her colleagues developed the Ultimate Intubation Head (UIH) to train medical practitioners’ hand-eye coordination in performing endotracheal intubation with the help of augmented reality methods [38-39].
5. Modeling of the da Vinci Robotic Surgical for Training, Evaluation and Quantification of Surgical Skills. In this project, Dr. Imielinska collaborates with Drs. Robert Ashton and Joseph DeRose, (cardiothoracic surgeons from St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital and Columbia University), and Dr. Tony Jebara, (Assistant Professor from Department of Computer Science), on the challenges of quantitative benchmarking of surgical skills assessment. This work has long-term ramifications for certification of basic surgical skills and advanced robotic surgical skills.
6. Microscope-Based Augmented Reality for Skull Base Neurosurgery. In this newly defined project, Dr. Imielinska is collaborating with Dr Jeff Bruce and Dr. D’Ambrosio, neurosurgeons, Dr. Steven Feiner, (Computer Science), Dr Andrew Laine (Biomedical Engineering), Dr. Joy Hirsch (Radiology and Psychology), and Dr. Jannick Rolland (School of Optics at the University of Central Florida). The overarching goal of this project is to dewgn, develop, implement, test, and evaluate a complete set of tools for a microscope-based, augmented reality, neuronavigation system for skull base neurosurgery.