Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is an imaging method which exploits the differing conductivities of complex media to form an image of the inside of a system. By injecting a small current and analysing the voltage pattern measured on the surface of this sample, the inner material structure can be reconstructed.
For medical applications, this proves to be a low-cost non-invasive alternative to other imaging methods and hence its market acceptance is rising continuously. Besides medical applications, EIT is also of potential use in geological exploration and non-destructive material testing.

In collaboration with the Physics department, we are researching existing algorithms and developing new algorithms, which will allow for real-time three-dimensional EIT imaging. This involves the design of parallel finite element code (as part of a group project FEMLIB) and implementation of a suitable non-linear inverse solver.

The interdisciplinary nature of this venture and the implementation of the code on the groups workstation cluster make this a challenging and future-oriented project. This work is a collaboration with Physics and clinicians at Southampton General Hospital.

Use of adaptive mesh refinement to improve algorithm efficiency and reconstruction quality in Electrical Impedance Tomography

Refereed Journal Papers

Molinari, M., Blott, B.H., Cox, S.J., and Daniell, G.J. Optimal imaging with adaptive mesh refinement in electrical tomography. Physiological Measurement, 23 p.121-128 (2002) [ pdf ]

Molinari, M., Cox, S.J., Blott, B.H., and Daniell, G.J. Comparison of algorithms for non-linear inverse 3D electrical tomography reconstruction. Physiological Measurement, 23 p.95-104 (2002) [ pdf ]

Molinari, M., Cox, S.J., Blott, B.H., and Daniell, G.J. Adaptive mesh refinement techniques for electrical impedance tomography. Physiological Measurement, 22 p.91-96 (2001) [ pdf ]

Refereed & Presented Conference Papers

Molinari, M., Cox S.J., Blott B.H., and Daniell, G.J. Efficient non-linear 3D electrical tomography and finite element optimizations for functional source imaging. 3rd International Symposium on Noninvasive Functional Source Imaging, 6-9 Sept 2001, Innsbruck/Austria, Biomedizinische Technik / Biomedical Engineering, 46 (E3), p.130-131 (2001) [ pdf ]

Molinari, M, Cox, S.J., Blott, B.H., and Daniell, G.J. Efficient Non-Linear 3D Electrical Tomography Reconstruction. 2nd World Congress on Industrial Process Tomography, 29-31 Aug 2001, Hannover/Germany, p.424-432 (2001) [ pdf ]

Molinari, M., Fangohr, H., Generowicz, J., and Cox, S.J. Finite Element Optimizations for Efficient Non-Linear Electrical Tomography Reconstruction. 2nd World Congress on Industrial Process Tomography, 29-31 Aug 2001, Hannover/Germany, p.406-417 (2001) [ pdf ]

Molinari, M, Blott, B.H., Cox, S.J., and Daniell, G.J. Non-linear Electrical Tomography Reconstruction of Simple Test Objects and a Simulated Head Slice. 3rd EPSRC Engineering Network Meeting on Biomedical Applications of EIT, UCL, p.26 (2001)

Molinari, M., Cox, S.J., Blott, B.H., and Daniell, G.J. Optimal Finite Element Modelling and Efficient Reconstruction in Non-Linear 3D Electrical Resistance Tomography. 3rd EPSRC Engineering Network Meeting on Biomedical Applications of EIT, UCL, p.41-45 (2001) [ pdf ]

Molinari, M, Cox, S.J., Blott, B.H., and Daniell, G.J. Adaptive Mesh Refinement for Electrical Impedance Tomography. 2nd EPSRC Engineering Network Meeting on Biomedical Applications of EIT, UCL, p.14-18 (2000)

Posters

M Molinari, M, and Cox, S.J. Fast Electrical Impedance Tomography for Non-Invasive Medical Imaging. The Institute of Physics' Young Physicists Conference, YPC2000, Chester, 24-26 November 2000

Molinari, M. Efficient Electrical Impedance Tomography for Non-Invasive Medical Imaging. Highlights of Physics Research and R&D in 2000, University of Leicester, 14 July 2000