The central theme of this program remains the development, evaluation and application of non-invasive vivisection and biopsy based on the mathematical reconstruction principle. In particular, this is being achieved by high temporal resolution cylindrical scanning computerized roentgen tomographic systems (SSDSR and DSR) for study of anatomic structural/functional relationships of the heart, lungs and vascular anatomy and circulatory dynamics in any region of the body. The Dynamic Spatial Reconstructor system is currently being fabricated and delivery is expected in the Spring of 1979. In addition, ultrasound computerized tomography is used for study of anatomic structural/tissue material characteristic relationships and with gamma ray emission computerized tomography for study of anatomic structural/tissue metabolic and perfusion characteristic relationships. Progression from biomedical investigative to practical clinical and health care uses requires development of special purpose, readily replicable, economical but very high-speed and high-volume data handling and computational and display devices. The nature of structural/functional relationships of internal organs under conditions of physiologic stress and congenital or acquired disease processes including neoplasia will be explored and ultimately applied to human beings.
