Ronan Smith, a postdoctoral research fellow at Adelaide University, has been awarded the prestigious Physics in Medicine & Biology (PMB) Early Career Researcher Award for his groundbreaking work in X-ray velocimetry (XV). This award recognizes the best paper in PMB's 2025 Early Career Researcher Focus Collection, and Smith's research has made significant contributions to the field of lung imaging and treatment.
In his award-winning paper, "Visualising ventilation changes following endobronchial valve placement with x-ray velocimetry functional lung imaging," Smith explores the potential of XV to detect changes in lung function after the insertion of endobronchial valves (EBVs). EBVs are used to treat emphysema, a condition that damages the air sacs in the lungs, making breathing difficult. By using XV imaging, Smith's research demonstrates a non-invasive method to measure regional and local changes in airflow, providing a more accurate assessment of EBV placement.
The study involved a pilot on healthy sheep, which have similar lung sizes to humans. The XV scanning process recorded fluoroscopic videos of individual breaths at various angles, with anatomic positioning provided by CT scans. The 4DMedical software correlated motion in the XV videos with CT data, creating 3D maps of specific ventilation in small voxels throughout the lungs. This allowed for the calculation of mean specific ventilation and ventilation heterogeneity across lung regions.
The results were remarkable. XV imaging could visualize and quantify a reduction in airflow to areas downstream of the valves, even in regions where collapse was not visible on CT scans. This highlights the advantage of XV over CT in measuring changes in lung function. Smith's work has the potential to improve treatment options for emphysema patients by providing better placement and verification tools.
Since the publication of this paper, Smith has been working on further applications of XV imaging. He is part of an interdisciplinary team studying lung function changes in various diseases, aiming to understand the diseases and evaluate treatment outcomes. Additionally, Smith is leading a clinical trial using XV imaging in children with cystic fibrosis, aiming to enhance clinical decision-making and improve outcomes for these patients.
The PMB Early Career Researcher Award is a significant recognition for Smith's contributions to biomedical physics. It acknowledges the collaborative efforts of clinicians, scientists, and the preclinical imaging facility staff. Smith's work not only advances the field of lung imaging but also demonstrates the potential of XV technology in various clinical applications.
In my opinion, this award is well-deserved. Smith's research has opened up new possibilities in lung imaging and treatment, and his dedication to further applications of XV imaging is inspiring. The potential for XV to improve patient outcomes in emphysema and cystic fibrosis is immense, and I look forward to seeing the continued advancements in this field.
