grace and guidance, I would not have completed this stage of my education. To my advisor, Dr. Magnotta, I give my sincerest thanks for his guidance throughout this project and for giving me the opportunity to work on such an interesting project. Also, for additional guidance, encouragement and tutelage through this laborious yet enjoyable learning process, I thank Dr. Casey Johnson. In the beginning of this project, Marla Kleingartner and Autumn Craig, were patient in their instruction when

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... ning to scan phantoms. For that, I say thank you, but also for the merriment you provide to lighten the environment of the lab. It makes coming to work a pleasant experience. During the interpretation of results, Dr. William Kearney was helpful and also insightful in how to follow--up with other experiments. Thank you Bill. My fellow lab members: Merry, Andrew, Cam, and Dr. Thedens, I thank for the encouragement and critique throughout this process. Lastly, I would also like to thank my family that was steadfast in their exhortation, which helped me persevere.