people
Sofia Michopoulou
Imaging (human)

Principal Clinical Scientist
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Current theme Projects:
BRAIN AI: Biomarker Research Assessing Inflammation in Neurodegeneration using Artificial Intelligence
Dementia diagnosis is complex and subjective, especially in the early stages of the disease. It takes on average over 2 years from symptom onset to diagnosis. Inflammation is seen as a driver leading to accelerated …
Recent publications:
A comparison of thyroid blockade strategies in paediatric 123I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scanning: a dual centre study
A comparison of thyroid blockade strategies in paediatric 123I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scanning: a dual centre study
The aim of this study was to evaluate three thyroid blockade regimes to determine which protocol provides the optimal level of thyroidal protection for paediatric 123-I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) imaging and estimate the relative radiation dose inferred from unbound radioiodine.
Discovery Molecular Imaging Digital Ready PET/CT performance evaluation according to the NEMA NU2-2012 standard
Discovery Molecular Imaging Digital Ready PET/CT performance evaluation according to the NEMA NU2-2012 standard
The aim of this study was to evaluate and benchmark the performance characteristics of the General Electric (GE) Discovery Molecular Imaging (MI) Digital Ready (DR) PET/CT.
A novel videography method for generating crack-extension resistance curves in small bone samples
A novel videography method for generating crack-extension resistance curves in small bone samples
Assessment of bone quality is an emerging solution for quantifying the effects of bone pathology or treatment. Perhaps one of the most important parameters characterising bone quality is the toughness behaviour of bone. Particularly, fracture toughness, is becoming a popular means for evaluating bone quality. The method is moving from a single value approach that models bone as a linear-elastic material (using the stress intensity factor, K) towards full crack extension resistance curves (R-curves) using a non-linear model (the strain energy release rate in J-R curves). However, for explanted human bone or small animal bones, there are difficulties in measuring crack-extension resistance curves due to size constraints at the millimetre and sub-millimetre scale. This research proposes a novel "whitening front tracking" method that uses videography to generate full fracture resistance curves in small bone samples where crack propagation cannot typically be observed. Here we present this method on sharp edge notched samples (<1 mm×1 mm×Length) prepared from four human femora tested in three-point bending. Each sample was loaded in a mechanical tester with the crack propagation recorded using videography and analysed using an algorithm to track the whitening (damage) zone. Using the "whitening front tracking" method, full R-curves and J-R curves could be generated for these samples. The curves for this antiplane longitudinal orientation were similar to those found in the literature, being between the published longitudinal and transverse orientations. The proposed technique shows the ability to generate full "crack" extension resistance curves by tracking the whitening front propagation to overcome the small size limitations and the single value approach.
Biomarkers of Inflammation Increase with Tau and Neurodegeneration but not with Amyloid-β in a Heterogenous Clinical Cohort
Biomarkers of Inflammation Increase with Tau and Neurodegeneration but not with Amyloid-β in a Heterogenous Clinical Cohort
Neuroinflammation is an integral part of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Inflammatory mediators can exacerbate the production of amyloid-β (Aβ), the propagation of tau pathology and neuronal loss.
Contact:
Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust