Quantitative Imaging
Description: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease with adverse consequences, including respiratory failure, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and lung cancer. The societal costs of COPD in Canada are expected to reach $40 billion annually and $800 billion over the next two decades; its prevalence is expected to reach 600 million people worldwide by 2025. Spirometry, the diagnostic tool for COPD, is underutilized in primary care and screening programs. This, along with patient underreporting, contributes to a substantial underdiagnosis rate of approximately 70% globally. Underdiagnosis leads to inadequate treatment, highlighting the need for better identification of individuals at risk for COPD to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Dr. Miranda Kirby is a world-class researcher in quantitative lung imaging. In her first term, she made international advances in the development of novel computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods and measurements to enable clinicians to better understand lung disease risk, enable early detection, and facilitate long-term monitoring. In her second term, Dr. Kirby will (1) develop novel measurements by extending disease evaluation beyond the lung, 2) enhance prediction models for lung disease outcomes, and 3) translate previously developed CT methods to MRI for pediatric lung disease. Dr. Kirby will develop new ways to identify individuals with, and at risk of, COPD from a single chest CT scan that extracts disease-related information from the lung as well as other organs, such as the respiratory muscles. By deepening our knowledge of lung disease risk and progression, Dr. Kirby's research program will allow for better identification of individuals at high risk for COPD, and adapt these tools for use in other lung conditions with critical knowledge gaps. Her novel research holds the promise of innovative imaging solutions to both prevent and effectively manage lung diseases, reducing healthcare costs, improving diagnosis and treatment times, and ultimately enhancing lung health for Canadians and individuals worldwide.
Amount: CA$500,000
Funding type: fellowship
Funder scheme: Canada Research Chairs - CIHR Funded - Tier 2
Start date: 2024-10-01
End date: 2029-09-30
Investigator: Miranda Kirby
Institution: Toronto Metropolitan University
Funded outputs count: 0
Funder award ID: 167510_2
OpenAlex ID: G8621785214