UC Research Profile - University of Canterbury

Mr Niels De Ruiter

Contact

Department: Human Interface Technology Laboratory New Zealand (HIT Lab NZ)

Direct Dial: +64 3 3692456

Office:

Language: English

About

Research / Creative works

Projects

Methods & Equipment

Fields of Research

Medical image processing
Spectral ("colour") CT reconstruction
Medical data communications (DICOM)
Medical visualisation

Researcher Summary

Medical imaging is a key way that we get to diagnose health issues in a non-invasive way. Any advance in imaging helps make diagnosis more accurate, and allows us to solve an even wider range of conditions.

My work aims to take data from medical scanners and convert it into a form suitable for diagnosis. This can involve modelling the physics of the scanner, to designing algorithms that process the data quickly and accurately, to implementing the algorithms in code, to looking at how to visualise the results in the best possible way.

Many challenges still exist in the mathematics, in the shear amount of data scanners produce these days, and in understanding exactly what the data acquired truly represents so that you can get the most out of it.

Subject Area: Disciplines

Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Sciences: Software Engineering and Visualisation
Engineering and Technology: Bioengineering ; Signal and Image Processing
Physics: Medical Physics
Mathematics: Applied Mathematics

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Kanithi P., De Ruiter NJA., Amma MR., Lindeman RW., Butler APH., Butler PH., Chernoglazov AI., Mandalika VBH., Adebileje SA. and Alexander SD. (2021) Interactive Image Segmentation of MARS Datasets Using Bag of Features. IEEE Transactions on Radiation and Plasma Medical Sciences 5(4): 559-567. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TRPMS.2020.3030045. (Journal Articles)

Lowe C., Ortega-Gil A., Moghiseh M., Anderson NG., Munoz-Barrutia A., Vaquero JJ., Raja AY., Matanaghi A., Chernoglazov AI. and Dapamede T. (2021) Molecular Imaging of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in an Ex-Vivo Mouse Model Using Spectral Photon-Counting Computed Tomography and Micro-CT. IEEE Access 9: 67201-67208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3076432. (Journal Articles)

Becce F., Viry A., Stamp LK., Pascart T., Budzik J-F., MARS Collaboration. and Raja A. (2019) Winds of change in imaging of calcium crystal deposition diseases.. Joint Bone Spine 86(6): 665-668. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbspin.2019.04.005. (Journal Articles)

Butler PH., Adebileje SA., Alexander SD., Amma MR., Amjomrouz M., Asghariomabad F., Atharifard A., Atlas J., Bamford B. and Bell ST. (2019) MARS pre-clinical imaging: The benefits of small pixels and good energy data. In Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering 11113 http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2532367. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Rajeswari Amma M., Butler APH., Raja AY., Bamford B., Butler P., Walker EP., Matanaghi A., Adebileje SA., Anderson N. and Anjomrouz M. (2019) Assessment of metal implant induced artefacts using photon counting spectral CT. In Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering 11113 http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2531003. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Bateman CJ., Knight D., Brandwacht B., Mahon JM., Healy J., Panta R., Aamir R., Rajendran K., Moghiseh M. and Ramyar M. (2018) MARS-MD: Rejection based image domain material decomposition. Journal of Instrumentation 13(5) http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/13/05/P05020. (Journal Articles)

Bheesette S., Lokhovitskiy A., Mallows S., Walsh MF., Doesburg RMN., Bell ST., Dabrowski A., Butler APH., Butler PH. and Adebileje SA. (2018) Medipix3RX neutron camera for ambient radiation measurements in the CMS cavern. In 2018 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, NSS/MIC 2018 - Proceedings http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2018.8824390. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Lowe CD., Ortega A., Aamir R., Chernoglazov AI., Butler APH. and Anderson NG. (2018) MARS pulmonary spectral molecular imaging: Potential for locating tuberculosis involvement. In 2018 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, NSS/MIC 2018 - Proceedings http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2018.8824604. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Mandalika VBH., Chernoglazov AI., Billinghurst M., Bartneck C., Hurrell M., de Ruiter N., Butler A. and Butler P. (2018) A hybrid 2D/3D user interface for radiological diagnosis. Journal of Digital Imaging (1): 56-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10278-017-0002-6. (Journal Articles)

Panta RK., Butler APH., Butler PH., De Ruiter NJA., Bell ST., Walsh MF., Doesburg RMN., Chernoglazov AI., Goulter BP. and Carbonez P. (2018) First human imaging with MARS photon-counting CT. In 2018 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, NSS/MIC 2018 - Proceedings http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2018.8824513. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Raja AY., Moghiseh M., Bateman CJ., de Ruiter N., Schon B., Schleich N., Woodfield TBF., Butler APH. and Anderson NG. (2018) Measuring identification and quantification errors in spectral CT material decomposition. Applied Sciences (Switzerland) 8(3) http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app8030467. (Journal Articles)

Searle EK., Butler APH., Raja AY., Gieseg SP., Adebileje SA., Alexander SD., Amma MR., Anjomrouz M., Asghariomabad F. and Atharifard A. (2018) Distinguishing Iron and Calcium using MARS Spectral CT. In 2018 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, NSS/MIC 2018 - Proceedings http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2018.8824671. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Atharifard A., Healy JL., Goulter BP., Ramyar M., Vanden Broeke L., Walsh MF., Onyema CC., Panta RK., Aamir R. and Smithies DJ. (2017) Per-pixel energy calibration of photon counting detectors. In Journal of Instrumentation 12(3) http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/12/03/C03085. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Rajendran K., Löbker C., Schon BS., Bateman CJ., Younis RA., de Ruiter NJA., Chernoglazov AI., Ramyar M., Hooper GJ. and Butler APH. (2017) Quantitative imaging of excised osteoarthritic cartilage using spectral CT. European Radiology 27(1): 384-392. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4374-7. (Journal Articles)

Broeke LV., Atharifard A., Goulter BP., Healy JL., Ramyar M., Panta RK., Anjomrouz M., Shamshad M., Largeau A. and Mueller K. (2016) Oblique fluorescence in a MARS scanner with a CdTe-Medipix3RX. In Journal of Instrumentation 11(12): 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/11/12/C12063. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Aamir R., Chernoglazov A., Bateman CJ., Butler APH., Butler PH., Anderson NG., Bell ST., Panta RK., Healy JL. and Mohr JL. (2014) MARS spectral molecular imaging of lamb tissue: Data collection and image analysis. Journal of Instrumentation 9(2) P02005: 12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/9/02/P02005. (Journal Articles)

Rajendran K., Walsh MF., de Ruiter NJA., Chernoglazov AI., Panta RK., Butler APH., Butler PH., Bell ST., Anderson NG. and Woodfield TBF. (2014) Reducing beam hardening effects and metal artefacts using Medipix3RX: With applications from biomaterial science. Journal of Instrumentation 9: 1-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/9/03/P03015. (Journal Articles)

Bateman CJ., McMahon J., Malpas A., De Ruiter N., Bell S., Butler AP., Butler PH. and Renaud PF. (2013) Segmentation enhances material analysis in multi-energy CT: A simulation study. In International Conference Image and Vision Computing New Zealand: 190-195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IVCNZ.2013.6727014. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Walsh MF., Nik SJ., Procz S., Pichotka M., Bell ST., Bateman CJ., Doesburg RMN., De ruiter N., Chernoglazov AI. and Panta RK. (2013) Spectral CT data acquisition with Medipix3.1. Journal of Insturmentation 8: 10012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/8/10/P10012. (Journal Articles)

Tang ND., de Ruiter N., Mohr JL., Butler APH., Butler PH. and Aamir R. (2012) Using Algebraic Reconstruction in Computed Tomography. In : 216-221. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2425836.2425881. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Butler A., Butzer J., Schleich N., Cook N., Anderson N., Scott N., de Ruiter N., Grasset R. and Tlustos L. (2011) Processing of spectral X-ray data with principal components analysis. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 633(Supplement 1) S140-S142 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2010.06.149. (Journal Articles)

Anderson NG., Butler AP., Scott NJA., Cook NJ., Butzer JS., Schleich N., Firsching M., Grasset R., de Ruiter N. and Campbell M. (2010) Spectroscopic (multi-energy) CT distinguishes iodine and barium contrast material in MICE. European Radiology 20(9): 2126-2134. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00330-010-1768-9. (Journal Articles)

Ruiter ND., Nees S., Benjamin R., Nagel N., Chen XQ. and King M. (2010) A Variable Resistance Virtual Exercise Platform for Physiotherapy Rehabilitation. International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications 8(1-4): 261-275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJISTA.2010.030204. (Journal Articles)

Ruiter N., Nees S., Benjamin R., Nagel M., Chen XQ. and King M. (2008) A Variable Resistance Virtual Exercise Platform for Physiotherapy Rehabilitation. In Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice (M2VIP 2008): 587-592. (Conference Contributions - Published)

Bateman CJ., Rajendran K., Ruiter NJAD., Butler AP., Butler PH. and Renaud PF. (2005) The Hidden K-edge Signal in K-edge Imaging. . (Journal Articles)

Future Research

Reconstructing exact material maps from spectral CT data e.g. exact quantities of bone, muscle, fat, titanium, etc
How can you represent 3D volumetric images with as few data points as possible
How can you correctly determine a scanners geometry while processing the data at the same time?

Key Methodologies

Implementing efficient algorithms with C++ programming
Modelling x-ray physics to generate clear medical images
Applying "optimisation mathematics" to solve real world problem