In this keynote, I will explore a paradigm shift in PET imaging—one that challenges our traditional dismissal of scatter events and instead harnesses them as a valuable signal source. I introduce how positron annihilation photons are entangled in a Bell state and how this opens the door to a new regime of data-driven imaging through multiple Compton scattering. We delve into the physics of double and triple Compton scatter interactions, highlight the angular correlations encoded in the joint differential cross-section, and discuss how these quantum correlations can enhance image formation.
Building on the emerging Stokes matrix formalism and recent work on entanglement retention through small-angle scatter, I show how this quantum behavior synergizes with the principles of ghost imaging, where image reconstruction relies on photon correlations, not direct object interaction. I will present our latest experimental insights and conclude with a vision for how integrating quantum-enhanced scattering models with PET detection systems can enable a richer, more efficient imaging framework that redefines signal, noise, and information.
Dr. Shiva Abbaszadeh is an Associate Professor and Jack Baskin Endowed Chair in Engineering in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). She earned her Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Waterloo in 2014 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship as a Stanford Molecular Imaging Scholar. Prior to joining UCSC, she established the Radiological Instrumentation Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Abbaszadeh’s research lies at the intersection of detector development, data acquisition systems, and computational processing to enhance image quality and reduce noise in medical and environmental imaging. Her work is supported by the NIH, DOD, and DOE. She was named a Fellow of the Research Corporation for Science Advancement for her efforts in bioimaging and is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the SPIE Optics and Photonics Award and the SNMMI Tracy Lynn Faber Memorial Award.