David E. Hintenlang, Ph.D.
Ph.D., Brown University, 1987
Associate Professor

Prof. David E. Hintenlang is focusing DOE-funded research efforts on the development of techniques to accurately measure radiation organ doses from clinical procedures through the fabrication of detailed anthropomorphic phantoms and advanced dosimeters. Combined with more sophisticated image quality phantoms that accommodate mAs-modulated CT scanning protocols, the relationship of organ doses and the image quality of clinical images is being better defined. These techniques are being applied to a variety of scenarios for diagnostic imaging including pediatric radiology and CT, cardiac CT and mammography. Previous efforts in developing realistic anthropomorphic phantoms is being extended to the construction of adult phantoms and the development of flexible tissue-equivalent materials that will permit dynamic, 4-D, phantoms to be fabricated. An array of optical fiber coupled dosimeters is being developed to permit the accurate measurement of organ doses at numerous locations throughout the phantoms. Preliminary work on several optically stimulated dosimeters demonstrates several desirable features including, excellent reproducibility, good sensitivity in mammography and diagnostic x-ray energy ranges, no degradation of performance over time and radiation exposure, and near tissue-equivalent properties. A methodology was developed that integrates advanced dosimetry techniques and a tissue-equivalent test phantom to accurately determine patient specific doses in screening mammography examinations. The technique performed well when benchmarked against other techniques for evaluating breast dose and can be readily integrated with digital mammography imaging systems. An additional project is in developing micro-CT techniques for medical robotic systems utilizing MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems). Cone beam micro-CT techniques are being developed to aid in the visualization of the assembly, and ultimately operation of the microscopic devices. Among other things, Dr. Hintenlang published three Journal papers, delivered three presentations at professional scientific meetings, and graduated 4 students in medical physics through NRE over the past year (2 Ph.D. and 2 M.S. students). He has directed eight students over the past year (4 Ph.D. students and 4 M.S. students).

Honors and Awards

• 2005 Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, Health Physics Society
• Nominated and sponsored the winner of the 2005 American College of Medical Physics Graduate Student Award (A. Kyle Jones)
• Graduate Education Program Reviewer for Committee of the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP)
• Diplomat, American Board of Radiology, Diagnostic Radiologic Physics

Publications

• W.P. Argo, D.E. Hintenlang, A tissue equivalent phantom series for mammography dosimetry, Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, Vol. 5, No. 4, 2004.
• D.E. Hintenlang, Processing of clinical images for guidance of robotic assisted procedures, 10th International Conference on Robotics and Remote Systems for Hazardous Environments, 405-410, Gainesville, FL, March 2004.
• AK Jones, FD Pazik, DE Hintenlang, and WE Bolch, MOSFET dosimeter depth-dose measurements in heterogeneous tissue-equivalent phantoms at diagnostic x-ray energies, Medical Physics, 32, 10, 3209-3213, 2005.
• Luis A. Benevides and David E. Hintenlang, Characterization of MOSFET Dosimeters for Application in Clinical Mammography, Medical Physics, In Review.

Presentations

• L. Benevides, D. Hintenlang, “High-sensitivity MOSFET dosimeters model numbers TN-1002RD and TN-1002RDM are evaluated for use in mammography energy range (22-39 kVp),” Radiological Society of North America, 90th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, 2004.
• L. Benevides, L. Brateman and D. Hintenlang, “Volumetric assessment of glandularity in screen-film mammography,” Medical Physics, 32, 6, 2065, 2005.
• R. Staton, A. Jones, W. Bolch and D. Hintenlang, “Point-to-organ doses scaling factors for use in pediatric radiology,” Medical Physics, 32, 6, 2101, 2005.