Courses
OFFICAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Covers the physics associated with magnetic resonance imaging and diagnostic ultrasound, emphasizing techniques employed in medical diagnostic imaging. Major MRI topics include physics of MR, pulse sequences, hardware, imaging techniques, artifacts, and spectroscopic localization. Ultrasound topics include propagation of ultrasonic waves in biological tissues, principles of ultrasonic imaging instrumentation, design and use of currently available tools for performance evaluation of diagnostic instrumentation, and biological effects of ultrasound. At the completion of this course, students should understand the technical and scientific details of modern non-ionizing medical magnetic resonance and ultrasound devices and their use in diagnosing disease.
REQUISITES: (MATH 234, 319), (PHYSICS 202 or 208) and (PHYSICS 241 or 248) or graduate/professional standing
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of each section of the course, you should be able to:
MRI SECTION
- Summarize the hardware and methods required to form images using nuclear magnetic resonance effects (Both Grad & Undergrad)
- Analyze the effects of tissue properties on MRI image contrast and the influence of imaging parameters on disease visualization (Both Grad & Undergrad)
- Evaluate the interactions between hardware and patients, including safety concerns and image artifacts (Both Grad & Undergrad)
- Contextualize the acquired knowledge to formulate research questions to solve specific clinical needs (Graduate Only)
ULTRASOUND SECTION
- Illustrate the process of ultrasound image formation by means of identifying key physical concepts related to the transmission, propagation, and detection of ultrasound waves used in diagnostic imaging (Both Grad & Undergrad)
- Integrate the knowledge from Learning Objective 1 to understand different aspects that define the quality of ultrasound images and the tradeoff with acoustic energy exposure and bioeffects (Both Grad & Undergrad)
- Monitor the presence of artifacts in ultrasound images and test the imaging performance of clinical ultrasound scanners (Both Grad & Undergrad)
- Contextualize the acquired knowledge to formulate research questions to solve specific clinical needs (Graduate Only)
OFFICAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces concepts and methodology for operating state-of-the-art clinical ultrasound scanners and carrying out tests of scanner performance. Students conduct experiments that are related to physical and engineering characteristics of clinical scanners. We emphasize details of operator controls, features of quantitative imaging modes (Doppler, color flow, elastography), and resolution limitations. Practical scanning exercises provide familiarity with selected applications of clinical ultrasound equipment, both for diagnosis and for guiding interventions. Students will also perform routine quality assurance tests done by medical physicists.
REQUISITES: MED PHYS/BME 578 or declared in Medical Physics VISP
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of each section of the course, you should be able to:
- Provide a technical overview of ultrasound scanner operations, including relevant tissue properties involved in forming images, ultrasound transducer properties and types, signal processing, image frame rate limitations, and typical instrument controls.
- Demonstrate basic operation of an ultrasound scanner and identify how image quality (spatial resolution and contrast resolution) is affected by different settings using ultrasound tissue-mimicking phantoms.
- Describe Doppler and color flow modes and indicate technical factors needed to measure blood flow accurately.
- Describe Shear Wave Elastography and indicate factors affecting the accuracy and precision of these techniques.
- Describe the structure of common ultrasound exams, including abdominal, cardiac, and vascular imaging, and how imaging settings are selected depending on the type of exam
- Optimize the operation of an ultrasound scanner for interventional procedures, including guiding the placement of an interventional needle.
- Complete the tests (i.e., system set up and scanning) and report writing for basic quality assurance testing following American College of Radiology (ACR) guidelines.
OFFICAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Mathematical and physical foundations of the application of acoustics in diagnostic ultrasound. Derivation of wave equations for mechanical waves in fluids and solids from a continuum mechanics perspective. Diffraction theory and methods for acoustic field calculation (analytic, angular spectrum, simulations). Review of interactions of acoustic waves with biological tissue and methods to measure their acoustic properties. In-depth discussion of methods for structural image formation including ray-line scanning, plane wave compounding, synthetic aperture, coded excitation, and spatial coherent imaging. Introduction to novel functional imaging approach, including ultrafast Doppler, molecular ultrasound, functional ultrasound, and super-resolution imaging. Application of the acquired knowledge to perform a systematic literature review of the field for the solution of a relevant clinical problem.
REQUISITES: MEDPHYS 573, MEDPHYS 578. Consent of instructor if no MED PHYS 573 or MED PHYS 578.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of each section of the course, you should be able to:
- Provide detailed physical explanations, based on advanced mathematical grounds, of
- The basic principles of the propagation and interactions of mechanical waves in tissues.
- Several ultrasound-based structural and functional imaging techniques.
- Critically assess recent technological developments in medical ultrasound imaging by appraising the motivation, strengths, and limitations of published research in this area.
- Based on a critical review of the state of the art of biomedical ultrasound, define the goal and specific aims of a research proposal focused on addressing a knowledge gap in the field and/or solving a relevant clinical problem using advanced concepts of ultrasound image acquisition, formation, and processing.