Reza A. Zoroofi

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

University of Tehran

Telephone: ( +9821 ) 633025(,6,7) [ex. 25]

Fax: (+9821 ) 8778690

Email: : zoroofi@chamran.ut.ac.ir / reza@image.med.osaka-u.ac.jp

Education|Engineering Experience|Publications|Activities|Fields of Interests|Presentations|Courses|Awards and Honors|Research Interests|Membership and Services|

MEDAL Software


Biography

Reza A. Zoroofi was born in Rasth, IRAN, in 1966.He graduated from high school (major: Mathematics-Physics) and obtained the first rank in Gilan province, IRAN, in 1984.

He passed the entrance examination of engineering universities of IRAN with a rank of 13 (out of 50,000 participants) in 1984, and joined Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, IRAN. He received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering (major: electronic) from Amirkabir University of Technology, in 1989.

In 1989, he joined Khajeh Nassir University of Technology, Tehran, IRAN. He received the M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering (major: Digital Telecommunication) from this university in 1991.

In 1991, he passed the doctoral course entrance examinations [in the field of biomedical engineering], held by Ministry of Culture and Higher Education [MCHE] of IRAN, and was awarded the scholarship of IRAN government for doing a Ph.D. abroad.

From 1989 to 1993, he involved in designing various hardware and software for digital telephone switching exchanges in the telecommunication industry of IRAN.

He joined Division of Functional Diagnostic Imaging, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, JAPAN, in 1993. From September 1993 to March 1994, he was a research student. He entered the official Ph.D. course of Medical School in April 1994 and received the Ph.D. degree in Medical Science (major: functional diagnostic imaging) from Osaka University in 1998.

From January to March 1997, he also collaborated at Mechanical Engineering Laboratory (MEL), Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Tsukuba, JAPAN, as a New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) Fellow.

From April 1997 to March 1998, he also collaborated at National Cardio-Vascular Center (NCVC) Research Institute, Osaka, JAPAN, as a Research Fellow.

In March 1998, he was awarded the postdoctoral fellowship of Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) for doing a two years post-doc in JAPAN. From April 1998 to March 2000, he was a JSPS Post-Doctoral Fellow at Division of Functional Diagnostic Imaging , Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University. In the above period, he was also a guest researcher at National Cardio-Vascular Center Research Institute (NCVC), Osaka, JAPAN. Currently, Dr. Zoroofi is an Assistant Professor at Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering,  Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran.

His research interests include works in the fields of information and image processing, medical imaging and medical informatics.

 

EDUCATION

1998-2000      Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan

                       Post-doctoral studies

                       Major: Medical Image Processing

 

1994-1998      Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan

                       Ph.D. in Medical Science

                       Major:  Functional Diagnostic Imaging

 

1989-1991      Khajeh Nassir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

                       M.Sc. in Elecrtical Engineering

                       Major: Digital Telecommunication

 

1984-1989     Amirkabir University of Technology , Tehran, Iran.

                      B.Sc. in Elecrtical Engineering

                      Major: Electronics

 

 

B.Sc. Course: Elecrtical Engineering

Major: Electronics. University: Faculty of Electrical Engineering

 Amirkabir University of Technology , Tehran, IRAN.

Period of study: October 1984 - February 1989.

M.Sc. Course: Elecrtical Engineering

Major: Digital Telecommunication.

University: Faculty of Electrical Engineering
jeh Nassir University of Technology , Tehran, IRAN.

Period of study: February 1989 - July 1991.

 

Ph.D. Course: Medical Science

Major: Functional Diagnostic Imaging.

University: Graduate School of Medicine
Osaka University , Suita, Osaka, JAPAN.

Period of study: April 1994 - March 1998.

 

Post-doctoral studies:

Major: Medical Image Processing.

University: Graduate School of Medicine
 Osaka University , Suita, Osaka, JAPAN.

Period of study: April 1998 - March 2000.

 

   FIELDS OF INTERESTS

Works in the fields of information and image processing, medical imaging and medical informatics.

During my M.Sc. studies (1989-1991), I focused on designing the Basic Interface (2B+D) for ISDN network (customer

premises), which previously was not done in IRAN. I employed the Intel-80286 family as the main controller and the Mitel

related chips as supporting I/Os and digital switching ports. In addition, C and Intel-x86 assembly (for real time decision

making and controlling the peripherals) were used as programming languages.

 

 

Publications

 

I. Journal Papers 

  1.  Zoroofi R.A., Taketani H., Tamura S., Sato Y., and Seikiya K.: Automated Inspection of IC wafer Contamination, Pattern Recognition,  34(6), 109-119, 2001.

  2. Mizuno-Matsumoto Y.,  Date S., Tabuchi Y., Tamura S.,  Sato Y.,  Zoroofi R.A.,  Shimojo S.,  Kadobayashi Y., Tatsumi H.,  Nogawa H.,  Shinosaki  H.,  Takeda M., Inouye T.,  and Miyahara H.: Telemedicine for Evaluation of Brain Function by Metacomputer, IEEE Trans. of Inf. Tech. in Biomedicine, 4(2), 165-172, 2000.

  3. Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Tamura S., Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A., Yoshimine T., Kato A., Taniguchi M., Takeda M., Inouye T., Shinosaki K., Ishii R., Lee K.J., Ko S.T., Tatsumi H., Shimojo S., and Miyahara H.: Propagation of Epileptiform Discharges Using Wavelet-Crosscorrelation Analysis in MEG, Medical Imaging Technology, 18(1), 61-70, 2000.

  4. Date S., Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Tamura S., Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A., Tabuchi Y., Shimojo S., Kadobayashi Y., Tatsumi H., Nogawa H., Shinosaki K., Takeda M., Inouye T.,and Miyahara H.: Metacomputing Environment for MagnetoEncephaloGraphy (MEG), Medical Imaging Technology , 18(1), 47-59, 2000.

  5. Tanaka H., Tetsuzo Yamaguchi T., Zoroofi R.A., OGATA Y., SATO Y., and Tamura S.: Restoration of two-type Degraded Images by Markov Random Field-Maximum a posteriori Algorithm: Application to Single-Exposure X-ray Imaging Grid-Less and Grid (GLG) X-ray Model, The Transactions of the Institute of Elec., Info. and Comm. Eng. (IEICE) D-II, J83-D-II(1): 1999.

  6. Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Inouye T., Tamura S., Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A. , Yoshimine T., Kato A., Taniguchi M., Lee K.J., Ko S.T., Takeda M., Tatsumi H., Shimojo S., and Miyahara H.: Localization of Epileptic Foci in Landau-Kleffner Syndrome using MEG, Clinical Electroencephalography , 41(2): 123-127, 1999.

  7. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., Naito H., Shimojo S., and Nakamura H.: Reduction of MRI artifact due to 3-D rigid motion, Medical Imaging Technology, 17(1): 69-79, 1999.

  8. Mizuta S., Urayama S., Zoroofi R.A., and Chikao Uyama: Automated Non-Linear Registration between 3-Dimensional Brain Map and Medical Head Image, Medical Imaging Technology, 16(3): 175-183, 1998.

  9. Zoroofi R.A., Ogata Y., Taketani H., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Inamoto K: Single-Exposure Low-Dose X-Ray Imaging with Grid-less and Grid (GLG) Imaging Plates: a Kalman-Filter Approach, Medical Imaging Technology, 16(6), 667-679, 1998.

  10. Ogata Y., Hashizume Y., Inamoto K., Takigawa A., Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., and Tamura S.: A New Anti-Scatter Method Using CR System, Journal of Japanese Association of Imaging, 61(4): 212-220, 1998.

  11. Sato Y., Chen J., Zoroofi R.A., Harada N., Tamura S., and Shiga T.: Automatic Extraction and Measurement of Leukocyte Motion in Microvessels Using Spatiotemporal Image Analysis, IEEE Transaction on Biomedical Engineering, 44(4): 225-236, 1997.

  12. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: Reduction of MRI Artifact Due to Planar Respiratory Motion, Medical Imaging Technology, 15(1): 63-72, 1997.

  13. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: MRI Artifact Cancellation Due to Rigid Motion in the Imaging Plane, IEEE Transaction on Medical Imaging, 15(6), 768-784, 1996.

  14. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: Reduction of MRI Artifact Due to Rotational Motion in the Image Plane, Medical Imaging Technology, 14(3): 259-268, 1996.

  15. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., Naito H., and Tang L.: An Improved Method for MRI Artifact Correction due to Translational Motion in the Imaging Plane, IEEE Transaction on Medical Imaging, 14(3): 471-479, 1995.

II. Conference Papers

    1. Zoroofi R.A., Nishii T., Sato Y., Sugano N., Yoshikawa H., and, Tamura S., Segmentation of Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head Using 3-D MRImages, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT)  Frontier 2001, Okinawa, Japan (in press).

    2. Zoroofi R.A., Sasama T., Sato Y., Sugano N., Nishii T. (3),Yonenobu K.,Yoshikawa H.,Tamura S.(2),  and,  Ochi T.,Segmentation of Pelvis and Femur from Computer Tomography Images, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT)  Frontier 2001, Okinawa, Japan (in press).

    3. Shahrokni A., Zoroofi R.A., Soltanian-Zadeh H.,A fast skeletonization algorithm for 3-D elongated objects, Proceedings of SPIE Medical Imaging 2001:   San Diego, February 2001 (in press).

    4. Soltanian-Zadeh H., Shahrokni A.,  Zoroofi, R.A.,A voxel-coding method for quantification of vascular structure from 3D images, Proceedings of SPIE Medical Imaging 2001:  San Diego, February 2001 (in press).

    5. Zoroofi R.A., Homma H., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: A Technique for Reduction of MRI 3-D Affine Motion Artifacts, Proceedings of SPIE Medical Imaging 2000: 98-105, San Diego, February 2000 (in press).

    6. Zoroofi R.A., Mizuno Y.M., Shinosaki K., Ukai S., Ishii R. , Keserci B., Kitaoka H., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Shimojo S.: Automated Segmetation of the Brain in MRI, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier'2000: 58-65, Tokyo, January 2000.

    7. Zoroofi R.A., Homma H., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: A Technique for Reduction of MRI 3-D Affine Motion Artifacts, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier'2000: 98-105, Tokyo, January 2000.

    8. Zoroofi R.A., Urayama S., Mizuta S., Uyama C., Yamada N., Sato Y., and Tamura S.: Improving Motion Tracking of the Heart MR Tagged Images by Orientational and Kalman Filters, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier'2000: 78-85, Tokyo, January 2000.

    9. Keserci B., Zoroofi R.A., Tamura S., and Shimojo S.: Automated Lung Segmentation of Chest Radiographs, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier'2000: 66-71, Tokyo, January 2000.

    10. Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Date S., Tamura S., Sato Y.,Zoroofi R.A., Tabuchi Y., Shimojo S., Kadobayashi Y., Tatsumi H., Nogawa H., Shinosaki K., Takeda M., Inouye T. and Miyahara H.: Integration of Signal Processing and Medical Image for evaluation of Brain Function on Globus., Proc. of IEEE IWS'99, 1999.

    11. Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Date S., Tamura S., Sato Y.,Zoroofi R.A., Tabuchi Y., Shimojo S., Kadobayashi Y., Tatsumi H., Nogawa H., Shinosaki K., Takeda M., Inouye T. and Miyahara H.: Integration of Signal Processing and Medical Image for Evaluation of Brain Function on Globus., Internet Workshop '99 (IWS'99): 297-302, Osaka, Feb. 1999.

    12. Zoroofi R.A. Tamura S., Sato Y., Ogata Y., Inamoto K., and Shimojo S.: Low Dose X-Ray Imaging GLG: Restoration by Kalman Filter, Proceedings of EUROPTO Conference on Optical and Imaging Techniques, SPIE Vol.3567: 196-207, Stockholm, Sweden, September 1998.

    13. Zoroofi R.A., Urayama S., Mizuta S., Yamada N., Uyama C., and Tamura S.: Motion Detection of the Heart Left Ventricle Using Tagged and Non-tagged MR Images, Computer assited Radiology (CAR)'98 : 98-103, Tokyo, June. 1998.

    14. Tamura S. , Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Ogata Y., Inamoto K.: Low Dose X-Ray Imaging GLG: Restoration by Kalman Filter,JAMIT Annual Meeting'98: 443-444, Tokyo, Japan, 1998.

    15. Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Tamura S., Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A., Yoshimine T., Kato A., Taniguchi M.,, Takeda M., Inouye T., Tatsumi H., Shimojo S., and Miyahara H.: Propagating process of epileptiform discharges using wavelet-crosscorrelation analysis in MEG, 11th International Conference on Biomagnetism (BIOMAG98). Abstracts, p.237, Sendai, Aug. 1998.

    16. Zoroofi R.A., Urayama S., Mizuta S., Yamada N., Uyama C., and Tamura S.: Motion Detection of the Heart Left Ventricle Using Tagged and Non-tagged MR Images, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier'98: 182-186, Tokyo, January 1998.

    17. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Naito H. and Tamura S.: MRI Artifact Correction due to 3-D Rigid Motion, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier '97: 35-40, Osaka, JAPAN, Jan. 1997.

    18. Zoroofi R.A., Ogata Y., Sato Y., Tamura S. et al: Single-Exposure cascaded Grid-less and Grid (GLG) x-ray imaging systems (A Kalman-filter Approach), Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier '97: 35-40, Osaka, JAPAN, Jan. 1997.

    19. Ogata Y., Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., and Tamura S.: Single-exposure cascaded grid-less and grid (GLG) x-ray imaging systems, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Physics (JAMP) 96: 164-165, Osaka, JAPAN, July 1996.

    20. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: Reduction of MRI artifact due to planar respiratory motion, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier 96: 107-112, Kyoto, Japan, Jan. 1996.

    21. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: Reduction of MRI artifact due to rotational motion in the imaging plane, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier 95: 37-44, Nagoya, Japan, Jan. 1995.

    22. Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: MRI artifact correction due to translational and rotational motion in the imaging plane, Proceedings of the Third International Symposium of the Japan-Russia Medical exchange: p. 135 (abstract), Osaka, Japan, June 1995.

    23. Sato Y.,Zoroofi R.A., Chen J., Harada N., Tamura S., and Shiga T.: Automatic Extraction and Measurement of Leukocyte Motion in Microvessels Using Spatiotemporal Image Analysis, Proc. IEEE Workshop on Biomedical Image Analysis, Seattle, Washington, USA, 134-143, 1994.

    24. Chen J., Zoroofi R.A. , Sato Y., Harada N., Tamura S., and Shiga T.: Automatic extraction and measurement of leukocyte motion in microvessels using spatiotemporal image analysis, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier 94 , Osaka, Japan, Jan. 1994.

III. Patent

    Zoroofi R.A. and Homma K., Ultra-Fast MR Imaging with Spin Echo Multi-Frequency RF Pulse Excitation, Japanese patent No. 3120111.

IV. Ph.D. Dissertation

    Zoroofi R.A.: Studies on MRI Artifact Cancellation, Ph.D. Thesis: Osaka Universtiy, March 1998.

 

Engineering Experience

I. B.Sc. jobs [Electronic Engineering]

  • Training #1: Telemetry Lab. of Dispatching Center, Ministry of Power and Energy of IRAN (remote control of IRAN power plants), 1985.

  • Training #2: Digital Switching Center of IRAN Telecommunication Company (ITC), 1986.

  • Training #3: Maintenance Center of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines, Iran Army, 1987.

  • B.Sc. thesis: design and implementation of a microprocessor controlled system for inspecting the TTL and CMOS integrated circuits (ICs). Developing the hardware, software, and finding optimum ways for defining and searching ICs data-bases were the goals of this project (1988-1989).

II. M.Sc. jobs [Telecommunication Engineering]

  • During my M.Sc. studies (1989-1991), I focused on designing the Basic Interface (2B+D) for ISDN network (customer premises), which previously was not done in IRAN. I employed the Intel-80286 family as the main controller and the Mitel related chips as supporting I/Os and digital switching ports. In addition, C and Intel-x86 assembly (for real time decision making and controlling the peripherals) were used as programming languages. The hardware and software of the following boards were developed for Iran Telecommunication Research Center (ITRC), Tehran, IRAN:

    • ISDN basic access (2B+D) circuit interface for the ASR TDM/PCM digital switching center.

    • Digital (data voice) telephone for ISDN 64Kbit (2B+D) lines.

    • Analog Line (and Trunk) Interface Circuits (ALIC and ATIC) for for non digital lines of a digital switching center (ASR TDM/PCM switch).

  • Cooperation at designing of the software and hardware of a PABX switching center (CARIN-500) at Paya Communication Industries (PCI) Tehran, IRAN (1991-1992 ).

  • Cooperation at designing of the billing and supervision software for the CARIN-500 PABX (with C). CARIN was connected to a PC via a serial line and the developed software (on-line) was responsible to compute all the charging and supervision requirements for about 500 local subscribers according to their programmable service features (1992).

  • Cooperation at designing of the control (multiprocessor system) section of a 2000 PCM/TDM digital switch (hardware and software) at PCI Co., Tehran, IRAN (1992).

  • Designing the software of supervision, maintenance, administration and testing (SMAT), with object oriented C++, for a 2000 PCM/TDM switch at PCI Co. in Tehran, IRAN (1993).

  • In 1993, after passing the doctor course examination of Biomedical Engineering (held by Ministry of Culture and Higher Education of Iran), I was awarded the scholar-ship of Iran government for doing a Ph.D. abroad. Because I was very interested in information processing and computer applications in medicine, I selected the field of medical information processing particularly image processing for my doctoral studies. I quit my job in September 1993 and joined Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, JAPAN, to pursue my Ph.D. studies.


III. Experiences in programming languages, and library tools

I have practical skills in the following computer languages and libraries [under MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows (95/98/NT), Linux, and Unix (SUN and SGI) operating systems]:

  • Fortran IV, Fortran 77 and VSFORTRAN (of IBM Main Frames).

  • GPSS (event simulation language of IBM Main Frames).

  • BASIC/Visual Basic (DOS/Windows).

  • C and object oriented C++ (DOS/Window/Linux/Unix).

  • Assembly (Zilog, Motorola, and Intel Families).

  • HTML and JAVA (the Internet environment programming).

  • Tcl-Tk (Window/Linux/Unix) user interface language.

  • MatLab (DOS/Window/Unix).

  • Spider (Unix) image processing library tools.

  • IMSL (Unix) mathematical library tools.

  • NRC (Windows/Unix) mathematical library tools.

  • AVS (Unix) visualization tools.

  • VTK (Windows/Unix) visualization tools.

IV. MEDAL software

MEDAL (MEdical DAta manipuLation tools) is a research oriented software and its goal is to cope with the common  demands of the people who need to manipulate, process, navigate and visualize patients corresponding medical data on the MS-Windows (95/98/NT) operating systems. I developed MEDAL during my post-doctoral studies in Japan. The current MEDAL is prepared after around 2000 hours programming. MEDAL is available at http://www.image.med.osaka-u.ac.jp/reza/medal_home.html. MEDAL is a collection of manipulation and processing tools for handling the digitized medical (signals, images and volume) data acquired from patients/volunteers bodies by different medical modalities such as MEG/EEG machines , MRI, CT, PET scanners and so fort.

Wavelet cross-correlation analysis of the brain (MEG/EEG) signals, automatic brain segmentation using T1
MR images, visualizing the brain activities [by mapping the MEG/EEG data on the brain surface], orientational filtering, radial imaging, 3-D morphological operations, 3-D visualization of multi-slice images, 3-D thinnig, etc. are some examples of present MEDAL tools.

   ACTIVITIES

 I. Automatic detection and tracking of leukocytes in cappilaries

The aim of this work was to detect motion and measure the velocity of leukocytes that adhere to microvessel walls by

computer vision techniques. Technically, the problem of moving-objects-identification from a sequence of images (frames)

should be solved. Corresponding publications are as follows:

- Sato Y., Chen J., Zoroofi R.A., Harada N., Tamura S., and Shiga T.: Automatic Extraction and Measurement of Leukocyte

Motion in Microvessels Using Spatiotemporal Image Analysis, IEEE Transaction on Biomedical Engineering, 44(4): 225-236,

1997.

- Sato Y.,Zoroofi R.A., Chen J., Harada N., Tamura S., and Shiga T.: Automatic Extraction and Measurement of Leukocyte

Motion in Microvessels Using Spatiotemporal Image Analysis, Proc. IEEE Workshop on Biomedical Image Analysis, Seattle,

Washington, USA, 134-143, 1994.

- Chen J., Zoroofi R.A. , Sato Y., Harada N., Tamura S., and Shiga T.: Automatic extraction and measurement of leukocyte

motion in microvessels using spatiotemporal image analysis, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging

Technology (JAMIT) Frontier 94 , Osaka, Japan, Jan. 1994.

 

II. MRI artifact correction

There are various imaging techniques in MRI such as spin echo (SE) imaging, inversion recovery (IR), echo planar imaging

(EPI), etc. Up to know, the SE imaging has proved to provide the highest quality MR image [the best signal to noise (SNR)

and contrast to noise ratio (CNR)]. The drawback of the SE technique is that it needs a longer data acquisition time (several

minutes) in contrast to other MR imaging techniques. Unfortunately, patient motion during MRI data acquisition can limit the

resultant image quality by imposing ghost-like artifact, blurring, or reducing the intensity of moving structures. This effect is

called motion artifact. The MRI machines have presently been equipped with several fast imaging techniques to reduce the

effect of the motion-artifact. However, all of the fast imaging techniques provide a lower quality image [lower (SNR) and

(CNR)] compared with that of the spin echo (SE) technique, especially if the motion artifact can be suppressed by another

method. This is why that the conventional spin echo imaging in spite of a longer data acquisition is still in a wide usage in the

common clinical practice. For this reason, we decided to improve the quality of the MR image acquired with a spin-echo

technique. We have attempted to reduce the MRI motion artifact arising from a patient motion by computer post-processing

techniques. Corresponding publications are as follows:

- Zoroofi R.A., Homma H., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: A Technique for Reduction of MRI 3-D Affine Motion

Artifacts, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier'2000: 98-105, Tokyo,

January 2000.

- Zoroofi R.A.,Homma H., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: A Technique for Reduction of MRI 3-D Affine Motion

Artifacts, Proceedings of SPIE Medical Imaging 2000: 98-105, San Diego, February 2000 (in press).

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., Naito H., Shimojo S., and Nakamura H.: Reduction of MRI artifact due to 3-D rigid

motion, Medical Imaging Technology, 17(1): 69-79, 1999.

- Zoroofi R.A.: Studies on MRI Artifact Cancellation, Ph.D. Thesis: Osaka Universtiy, March 1998.

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: Reduction of MRI Artifact Due to Planar Respiratory Motion, Medical

Imaging Technology, 15(1): 63-72, 1997.

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: MRI Artifact Cancellation Due to Rigid Motion in the Imaging Plane, IEEE

Transaction on Medical Imaging, 15(6), 768-784, 1996.

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: Reduction of MRI Artifact Due to Rotational Motion in the Image Plane,

Medical Imaging Technology, 14(3): 259-268, 1996.

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., Naito H., and Tang L.: An Improved Method for MRI Artifact Correction due to

Translational Motion in the Imaging Plane, IEEE Transaction on Medical Imaging, 14(3): 471-479, 1995.

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Naito H. and Tamura S.: MRI Artifact Correction due to 3-D Rigid Motion, Proceedings of Japanese

Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier '97: 35-40, Osaka, JAPAN, Jan. 1997.

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: Reduction of MRI artifact due to planar respiratory motion, Proceedings of

Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier 96: 107-112, Kyoto, Japan, Jan. 1996.

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: Reduction of MRI artifact due to rotational motion in the imaging plane,

Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier 95: 37-44, Nagoya, Japan, Jan. 1995.

- Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Naito H.: MRI artifact correction due to translational and rotational motion in the

imaging plane, Proceedings of the Third International Symposium of the Japan-Russia Medical exchange: p. 135 (abstract),

Osaka, Japan, June 1995.

 

III. Low dose X-ray imaging

In computed radiography (CR) providing high-quality low-invasive systems, i.e. improving spatial resolution and contrast of the

resultant image together with reducing the risk of patient radiation exposure are still of particular interests. As the CR systems

using photostimulable phosphor imaging plate (IP) were developed to permit digital image generation which excelled in linearity

and reproducibility, many research institutes conducted researches on computer-aided image processing with a view toward

image diagnostic value enhancement. One of the main practical obstacles on obtaining a high-contrast x-ray image is the

problem of scattering. The effect of scattered radiation is giving an obscured x-ray image with poor detectable lesions and

hence a vague diagnostic information. The purpose of this research was to obtain an image with the same quality as of the

existing x-ray system together with a lower exposure requirement. Corresponding publications are as follows:

- Tanaka H., Tetsuzo Yamaguchi T., Zoroofi R.A., OGATA Y., SATO Y., and Tamura S.: Restoration of two-type Degraded

Images by Markov Random Field-Maximum a posteriori Algorithm: Application to Single-Exposure X-ray Imaging Grid-Less

and Grid (GLG) X-ray Model, The Transactions of the Institute of Elec., Info. and Comm. Eng. (IEICE) D-II, J83-D-II(1):

1999 (in press).

- Zoroofi R.A., Ogata Y., Taketani H., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Inamoto K: Single-Exposure Low-Dose X-Ray Imaging with

Grid-less and Grid (GLG) Imaging Plates: a Kalman-Filter Approach, Medical Imaging Technology, 16(6), 667-679, 1998.

Ogata Y., Hashizume Y., Inamoto K., Takigawa A., Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., and Tamura S.: A New Anti-Scatter Method

Using CR System, Journal of Japanese Association of Imaging, 61(4): 212-220, 1998.

- Zoroofi R.A. Tamura S., Sato Y., Ogata Y., Inamoto K., and Shimojo S.: Low Dose X-Ray Imaging GLG: Restoration by

Kalman Filter, Proceedings of EUROPTO Conference on Optical and Imaging Techniques, SPIE Vol.3567: 196-207,

Stockholm, Sweden, September 1998.

- Tamura S. , Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., Ogata Y., Inamoto K.: Low Dose X-Ray Imaging GLG: Restoration by Kalman

Filter,JAMIT Annual Meeting'98: 443-444, Tokyo, Japan, 1998.

- Zoroofi R.A., Ogata Y., Sato Y., Tamura S. et al: Single-Exposure cascaded Grid-less and Grid (GLG) x-ray imaging

systems (A Kalman-filter Approach), Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier

'97: 35-40, Osaka, JAPAN, Jan. 1997.

- Ogata Y., Zoroofi R.A., Sato Y., and Tamura S.: Single-exposure cascaded grid-less and grid (GLG) x-ray imaging systems,

Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Physics (JAMP) 96: 164-165, Osaka, JAPAN, July 1996.

 

IV. Contamination inspection of IC wafers

The goal of this project was to provide a computer-vision technique for identification of the contaminated area on the surface of

a IC-wafer before the assembling process. We employed CCD-cameras and optical filtering techniques to create the

input-data for a feed-forward neural network (back projection technique). This project was done for a integrated circuit (IC)

manufacturing company. The corresponding manuscript is as follows:

- Zoroofi R.A., Taketani H., Tamura S., Sato Y., Sekiya K.: Automated Inspection of IC Wafer  Contamination, Pattern

Recognition (in press).

 

V. Ultra-fast MR imaging

The above research was dealing with a new ultra-fast data acquisition technique that might be employed in a magnetic

resonance imaging (MRI) modality. The method was based on using a multi-frequency rf pulse, i.e., a linear superposition of

several selective rf pulses, with the assumption that the resultant MR signal can be regarded as the superposition of the spin

responses due to each individual frequency. Using this sequence, and by proper filtering, it was shown that the discrimination of

echo signals corresponding to their rf pulse can be achieved.In this technique, acquiring the MR data only required a fraction of

TR, making the method a competitive ultra-fast imaging scheme. This work was patented as follows:

- Zoroofi R.A. and Homma K., Ultra-Fast MR Imaging with Spin Echo Multi-Frequency RF Pulse Excitation, Japanese patent

application, No. H9-279927, 1997.

 

VI. Heart motion tracking

Myocardial motion studies of patients suffering from different kinds of the Heart diseases, such as aorta stenosis, hypertrophic

cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction, using possible non-invasive accurate method are of particular interests. Nowadays,

most MRI machines, by employing the technique of spatial modulation of the magnetization(SPAMM), the so-called

tagging-grid} [Axel el al, Radiology 169, 59, 1988], have been equipped and accordingly opened a competitive field that might

have the potential of highly accurate quantification of myocardial motion, particularly the left ventricle (LV) local and global

motions. However, the MR-tagged images should be improved in terms of (I) providing better datasets, (II) developing new

post-processing computational techniques, and (III) creating useful medical diagnostic interface (MDI) for physicians. The main

goal of this research was to fill the above mentioned gaps as much as possible. Publications in this regard are as follows:

- Zoroofi R.A., Urayama S., Mizuta S., Uyama C., Yamada N., Sato Y., and Tamura S.: Improving Motion Tracking of the

Heart MR Tagged Images by Orientational and Kalman Filters, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging

Technology (JAMIT) Frontier'2000: 78-85, Tokyo, January 2000.

- Zoroofi R.A., Urayama S., Mizuta S., Yamada N., Uyama C., and Tamura S.: Motion Detection of the Heart Left Ventricle

Using Tagged and Non-tagged MR Images, Computer assited Radiology (CAR)'98 : 98-103, Tokyo, June. 1998.

- Zoroofi R.A., Urayama S., Mizuta S., Yamada N., Uyama C., and Tamura S.: Motion Detection of the Heart Left Ventricle

Using Tagged and Non-tagged MR Images, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT)

Frontier'98: 182-186, Tokyo, January 1998.

 

VII. Analysis and visualization of brain activities

In order to undenredstand the generators of cerebral activities with non-invasive data acquisition modalities such as

Magnetoencephalography (MEG), developing the complementary post-processing analysis and visualization tools are very

important. Mapping the propoagation process of epileptiform discahrges using wavelet cross-orrrelation on the brain surface, is

one particular task in this regard. Our developed software package, MEDAL

(http://www.image.med.osaka-u.ac.jp/reza/medal.html), can automatically segment the brain surface using T1 MR images,

register the MRI and MEG data, and map the processed MEG signals on the corresponding brain surface of the same patient.

Corresponding publications are as follows:

- Zoroofi R.A., Mizuno Y.M., Shinosaki K., Ukai S., Ishii R. , Keserci B., Kitaoka H., Sato Y., Tamura S., and Shimojo S.:

Automated Segmetation of the Brain in MRI, Proceedings of Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT)

Frontier'2000: 58-65, Tokyo, January 2000.

- Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Tamura S., Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A., Yoshimine T., Kato A., Taniguchi M., Takeda M., Inouye T.,

Shinosaki K., Ishii R., Lee K.J., Ko S.T., Tatsumi H., Shimojo S., and Miyahara H.: Propagation of Epileptiform Discharges

Using Wavelet-Crosscorrelation  Analysis in MEG, Medical Imaging Technology, 18(1), 61-70, 2000.

- Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Inouye T., Tamura S., Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A. , Yoshimine T., Kato A., Taniguchi M., Lee K.J., Ko

S.T., Takeda M., Tatsumi H., Shimojo S., and Miyahara H.: Localization of Epileptic Foci in Landau-Kleffner Syndrome using

MEG, Clinical Electroencephalography , 41(2): 123-127, 1999.

- Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Tamura S., Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A., Yoshimine T., Kato A., Taniguchi M.,, Takeda M., Inouye T.,

Tatsumi H., Shimojo S., and Miyahara H.: Propagating process of epileptiform discharges using wavelet-crosscorrelation

analysis in MEG, 11th International Conference on Biomagnetism (BIOMAG98). Abstracts, p.237, Sendai, Aug. 1998.

 

VIII. Medical applications of high capacity Internet environments

For handling the transportation task of huge amounts of medical data acquired from distributed sophisticated medical

modalities, and also for dealing with the corresponding online heavy calculations, interpretation, and visualizations of these

medical data, particularly, at the time natural disasters such as earthquake, developing advanced multimedia application systems

and high capacity internet environments are essenstial. In this research, Globus, a system of networked virtual supercomputers

(a meta computer), MEG, a high technology medical instrumentation system, and a message passing interface (MPI), were

combined with complementary developed calculation software to evaluate the brain functions

and disorders. Corresponding publications are as follows:

- Mizuno-Matsumoto Y.,  Date S., Tabuchi Y., Tamura S.,  Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A.,  Shimojo S.,  Kadobayashi Y., Tatsumi

H.,  Nogawa H., Shinosaki  H.,  Takeda M., Inouye T.,  and Miyahara H.: Telemedicine for Evaluation of Brain Function by

Metacomputer, IEEE Trans. of Inf. Tech. in Biomedicine (In press).

- Date S., Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Tamura S., Sato Y., Zoroofi R.A., Tabuchi Y., Shimojo S., Kadobayashi Y., Tatsumi H.,

Nogawa H., Shinosaki K., Takeda M., Inouye T.,and Miyahara H.: Metacomputing Environment for

MagnetoEncephaloGraphy (MEG), Medical Imaging Technology , 18(1), 47-59, 2000.

- Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Date S., Tamura S., Sato Y.,Zoroofi R.A., Tabuchi Y., Shimojo S., Kadobayashi Y., Tatsumi H.,

Nogawa H., Shinosaki K., Takeda M., Inouye T. and Miyahara H.: Integration of Signal Processing and Medical Image for

evaluation of Brain Function on Globus., Proc. of IEEE IWS'99, 1999.

- Mizuno-Matsumoto Y., Date S., Tamura S., Sato Y.,Zoroofi R.A., Tabuchi Y., Shimojo S., Kadobayashi Y., Tatsumi H.,

Nogawa H., Shinosaki K., Takeda M., Inouye T. and Miyahara H.: Integration of Signal Processing and Medical Image for

Evaluation of Brain Function on Globus., Internet Workshop '99 (IWS'99): 297-302, Osaka, Feb. 1999.

 

VIIII. Automated lung segmentation of chest radiographs

The aim of this study is to develop an automatic lung segmentation method that can be used as the first stage of various

computer-aided diagnosis protocols for automated detection of abnormalities such as the pulmonary lung nodules,

pneumothorax, and interstitial disease in clinical chest images. In this method, global gray-level histogram analysis is first used to

identify a range of gray-level thresholds. Based on this range of thresholds, an iterative global gray-level thresholding analysis is

applied to find the initial lung boundary. Since the initial boundary does not fully capture the true lung border, an adaptive local

gray-level thresholding is performed to extend the initial boundary to the true lung border. Corresponding publication is as

follows:

- Keserci B.,Zoroofi R.A., Tamura S., and Shimojo S.: Automated Lung Segmentation of Chest Radiographs, Proceedings of

Japanese Association of Medical Imaging Technology (JAMIT) Frontier'2000: 66-71, Tokyo, January 2000.