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Identical coursesMedical Imaging and Analysis (B-KUL-H03H5A)
Aims
After succesful completion of this course, the student should understand and be able to explain the physical and mathematical principles of medical imaging and image analysis. The student should have knowledge of and insight in the image data acquisition process of the main imaging modalities (RX, CT, MRI, SPECT/PET, US), the image reconstruction methods, the parameters that influence image quality (resolution, contrast, noise, artefacts), biological safety aspects and the processing and visualization of medical images. The main focus of the course is on the methodological concepts of various imaging and image analysis techniques, while imaging equipment and clinical applications are treated in less detail.
After succesful completion of the course, the student should be able to relate the various physical principles underlying different imaging modalities to the complementary information different medical images provide for diagnosis and therapy planning. The student should also be able to appreciate the intrinsic connection between imaging and mathematics and the engineering challenges to bring these concepts into practice.
Previous knowledge
Preliminary terms
A basic education in engineering, physics or mathematics is required.
The student must understand and command the basic concepts of digital signals and linear system theory, in particular Fourier theory.
Preliminary conditions
Having obtained credits in a course on linear system theory.
Order of Enrolment
This course unit is a prerequisite for taking the following course units:
G0Z71A : Medical Physics: Internship 2
Is included in these courses of study
- Master in de medische stralingsfysica (Leuven) 60 ects.
- Master in de ingenieurswetenschappen: wiskundige ingenieurstechnieken (Leuven) 120 ects.
- Master in de ingenieurswetenschappen: biomedische technologie (Leuven) 120 ects.
- Master of Bioinformatics (Leuven) (BIOSCIENCE ENGINEERING) 120 ects.
- Master of Bioinformatics (Leuven) (ENGINEERING) 120 ects.
- Master of Statistics and Data Science (on campus) (Leuven) (Statistics and Data Science for Biometrics) 120 ects.
- Postgraduate Programme in Biomedical Engineering (Leuven) 40 ects.
- Master of Biomedical Engineering (Programme for students started before 2021-2022) (Leuven) 120 ects.
- Courses for Exchange Students Faculty of Engineering Science (Leuven)
- Master of Mathematical Engineering (Leuven) 120 ects.
- Master of Physics (Leuven) (Option: Physics for Society) 120 ects.
- Master in de ingenieurswetenschappen: elektrotechniek (Leuven) (Informatiesystemen en signaalverwerking) 120 ects.
- Master of Electrical Engineering (Leuven) (Information Systems and Signal Processing) 120 ects.
- Master of Biomedical Engineering (Programme for students started in 2021-2022 or later) (Leuven) 120 ects.
- Master of Medical Physics (Leuven et al) 120 ects.
Activities
4.83 ects. Medical Imaging and Analysis: Lecture (B-KUL-H03H5a)
Content
The course follows the textbook 'Fundamentals of Medical Imaging" by Prof. em. Paul Suetens.
In Chapter 1, an introduction to digital image processing is given. It introduces the terminology used, the aspects defining image quality, and basic image operations to process digital images.
Chapters 2 - 6 explain how medical images are obtained. The most important imaging modalities today are discussed: radiography (Chapter 2), computed tomography (Chapter 3), magnetic resonance imaging (Chapter 4), nuclear medicine imaging (Chapter 5), and ultrasonic imaging (Chapter 6). Each chapter includes (1) a short history of the imaging modality, (2) the theory about the physics of the signals and their interaction with tissue, (3) the image formation or reconstruction process, (4) a discussion of the image quality, (5) the different types of equipment today, (6) examples of the clinical use of the modality, (7) a brief description of the biologic effects and safety issues, and (8) some future expectations.
Chapters 7 gives an overview of medical image analysis approaches to extract quantitative information from the images to support diagnosis and therapy planning and presents some model-based strategies to deal with ambiguity in the images.
Chapter 8 describes 3D visualisation approaches and their use for image-based guidance during treatment and surgical interventions.
Course material
Textbook: P. Suetens, Fundamentals of Medical Imaging, 3rd edition, Cambridge University Press, 2017.
Course material available on Toledo:
- PDF version of each chapter of the textbook for personal use only
- Slides and handouts per chapter
- Course notes with additional explanations
- Exercises and solutions
- A list of equations
- An appendix with basic notions of linear system theory
Format: more information
There are +/- 18 lectures of 2h each. The scheme of the lectures is planned as follows:
Lecture 1: Course organization.
Lecture 1-2: Basics of digital image processing
Lecture 2-3: RX
Lecture 4-5: CT
Lecture 6-7-8-9: MRI
Lecture 10-11: SPECT/PET
Lecture 12-13: US
Lecture 14-15-16: Image analysis
Lecture 17: 3D visualization
The remaining lecture is used as back-up in case a lecture is cancelled.
1.17 ects. Medical Imaging and Analysis: Exercises and Laboratory Sessions (B-KUL-H03H6a)
Content
The exercise sessions are intended to foster insight by making the various concepts from the lectures more tangible with numerical examples and by exploring the underlying assumptions, benefits and limitations of specific imaging setups. The exercise sessions are organized in line with the course chapters. A guided tour in the university hospital is also organised as part of the exercise sessions.
Session 1: Basic image processing.
Session 2-7: Imaging modalities: RX, CT, MRI, US, SPECT/PET
Session 8: Image analysis & Visualization for diagnosis and therapy
Session 9: Guided tour within the departments of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine of UZ Gasthuisberg, Leuven.
Course material
A list of exercises per chapter and their solutions are provided on Toledo.