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The technique of positron emission particle tracking (PEPT), conceived and developed by David Parker from the School of Physics and colleagues in the School Chemical Engineering, has enabled a paradigm shift in the understanding of a number of industry relevant chemical engineering problems. The ability to interrogate the motion of fluids and particles within opaque systems has led to its adoption across a wide range of industry sectors including oil and chemical, minerals, and home and personal care leading to improved process models. Key process improvements have been reported by six major industrial sponsors, representing significant fiscal benefit, environmental benefits and enhanced competitiveness.
In addition to a continuing programme of studies at Birmingham, PEPT measurements are now performed at the iThemba National Lab in South Africa, where since 2009 a PEPT facility has been developed with assistance from Parker and funding from AngloAmericanPlatinum.
Positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are two of the most powerful clinical imaging tools. They provide complementary information that is used in the diagnosis of many diseases and in assessing the effect of current and new therapies. Researchers at King's College London, in an international collaboration, demonstrated for the first time the simultaneous acquisition of PET and MR data and the application of the technique in preclinical models. Simultaneous PET-MR systems significantly improve the quality of patient care by allowing both PET and MR examinations to be performed in a single scanning session and by reducing radiation exposure by a factor of two. This pioneering work has led to clinical whole body simultaneous PET-MR systems recently becoming commercially available and there are currently around 40 PET-MR scanners installed in clinical/research institutions worldwide.