The Physics of Medical Imaging

Introduction - and some challenging questions. In the beginning. Diagnostic radiology with x-rays: Introduction; The imaging system and image formation; Photon interactions; Important physical parameters; X-ray tubes; Image receptors; Digital radiology. Quality assurance and image improvement in diagnostic radiology with x-rays. Introduction to quality assurance: Basic quality-assurance tests for x-ray sets; Specific quality-assurance tests; Data collection and presentation of the results; Summary of quality assurance; Improvement in radiographic quality; Scatter removal; Contrast enhancement; Summary of methods of image enhancement. X-ray transmission computed tomography: The need for sectional images; The principles of sectional imaging; Fourier-based solutions: The method of convolution and backprojection; Iterative methods of reconstruction; Other considerations. Clinical applications of X-ray computed tomography in radiotherapy planning: X-ray computed tomography scanners and their role in planning; Non-standard computed tomography scanners. The physics of radioisotope imaging: Introduction; Radiation detectors; Radioisotope imaging equipment; Radionuclides for imaging; The role of computers in radioisotope imaging; Static and dynamic planar scintigraphy; Emission computed tomography; Quality control and performance assessment of radioisotope imaging equipment; Clinical applications of radioisotope imaging. Diagnostic Ultrasound: Introduction; Basic physics; Engineering principles of ultrasonic imaging; Clinical applications and biological aspects of diagnostic ultrasound; Research topics. Spatially localised nuclear magnetic resonance: Introduction; The development of nuclear magnetic resonance; Principles of nuclear magnetic resonance; Nuclear magnetic resonance pulse sequences; Relaxation processes and their measurement; Nuclear magnetic resonance image acquisition and reconstruction; Spatially localised spectroscopy; Instrumentation; Nuclear magnetic resonance safety. Physical aspects of infrared imaging: Introduction; Infrared photography; Transilluminaton; Infrared imaging; Liquid-crystal thermography; Microwave thermography. Imaging of tissue electrical impedance: The electrical behaviour of tissue; Tissue impedance imaging; Suggested clinical applications of applied potential tomography. Imaging by diaphanography: Clinical applications; Physical basis of transillumination; Experimental arrangements. The mathematics of image formation and image processing: The concept of object and image; The relationship between object and image; The general image processing problem; Discrete Fourier representation and the models for imaging systems; The general theory of image restoration; Image sampling; Two examples of image processing from modern clinical practice; Iterative image processing. Perception and interpretation of images. Introduction; The eye and brain as a stage in an imaging system; Spatial and contrast resolution; Perception of moving images; Quantitative measures of investigative performance. Computer requirements of imaging systems: Single- versus multi-user systems; Generation and transfer of images; Processing speed; Display of medical images; Three-dimensional image display: methodology; Three-dimensional image display: clinical applications. Epilogue: Introduction; The impact of radiation hazard on medical imaging practice; Attributes and relative roles of imaging modalities; References. Index.