The primary mission of the CRCHUM’s Imaging and Engineering Research Theme is to leverage engineering for the benefit of health care. By bringing together researchers from several areas of expertise, it encourages interaction and the pooling of skills. 

The CRCHUM’S Imaging and Engineering Research Theme consists of five laboratories whose work focuses on three areas: 

1. Imaging and morphological-functional and physical modelling of biological systems;   
2. Image-guided medical interventions; 
3. Design, development and validation of new biomaterials and implants. 

Imaging and Orthopedics Research Laboratory (LIO)  

The Imaging and Orthopedics Research Laboratory (LIO) is a multidisciplinary laboratory accredited by the École de Technologie Supérieure whose areas of activity revolve around medical imaging, biomechanics, medical devices and technical aids, computer-assisted decision-making systems and biomaterials. The LIO’s researchers, engineers and clinicians collaborate closely on the morphological-functional analysis of biological systems, on the geometric and functional modelling of organs and joints, and on the design and evaluation of methods for processing and analyzing images, medical devices, prosthetics and orthotics, surgical instruments and medical robots.  

LIO website

Endovascular Biomaterials Laboratory (LBEV)  

The Endovascular Biomaterials Laboratory (LBEV) focuses on biomaterials and biomedical implants, their characterization and surface modifications, particularly for cardiovascular applications. Among other activities, the laboratory studies the mechanisms of endovascular graft failure, designs bioactive coatings and hydrogels and evaluates the biocompatability of in vitro and in vivo biomaterials.  

LBEV website

Biorheology and Medical Ultrasonics Laboratory (LBUM)    

Work at the Biorheology and Medical Ultrasonics Laboratory focuses on ultrasonic medical imaging. Researchers use new imaging techniques to optimize the diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up of arteriosclerosis, cancerous breast tumours and vascular disorders such as stenoses, aneurysms and venous thromboses. They also use ultrasound elastography to study the biomechanical properties associated with these pathologies.  

LBUM website

Central Image Processing Laboratory (LCTI)  

The Central Image Processing Laboratory (LCTI), for multidisciplinary use, is involved at different phases of the radiological process, including image acquisition and archiving and the development of computer tools to help with the diagnosis, interventional planning and quantitative follow-up of diseases. The main areas of interest of the laboratory’s researchers, engineers, physicists, radiologists and clinicians are the pre-, per- and post-operative follow-up of vascular diseases, 3D segmentation, multimodal fusion, the optimization of MRI acquisitions, as well as the realistic hemodynamic and mechanical modelling of vascular structures, endovascular prosthetics and the intervention process.    

Interventional Neuroradiology Research Laboratory (NRI)  

The goal of the Interventional Neuroradiology Research Laboratory (NRI) is to expand our knowledge of endovascular imaging and therapeutics for the treatment of arterial and venous vascular diseases. Our laboratory consists of a basic research unit (NRIf) and a clinical research unit (NRIc). The NRIf has unique expertise in the creation of aneurysm models and the development of enovascular devices and techniques.

Research work mainly focuses on reducing the aneurysm recurrence rate following endovascular treatment, as well as on the safety and efficacy of stents and flow diverters, new tools used to treat aneurysms, in animal models. The NRI’s clinical research unit (NRIc) offers the appropriate infrastructure for the development and conduct of clinical studies, mainly researcher-initiated studies. The heart of our expertise relies on study project and clinical centre management, data management, biostatistics and electronic image transfer and storage methods, all with a minimal budget (standard of care concept).  

Translational research unit in biophysics and data science applied to the development of medical imaging technologies (LUMED Lab)

The main objective of the LUMED Lab is the development of molecular optical imaging techniques applied to the detection and characterization of cancer and infectious diseases for clinical applications. The work of Professor Frédéric Leblond's laboratory focuses on the development of optical instruments and data processing methods, including machine learning, for surgical guidance as well as for diagnostic and prognostic medical tests using d tissue-light interaction and machine learning technology.

LUMED Lab website (fr)