Medical Imaging

5.00 credits

30.0 h + 30.0 h

> Schedule

Teacher(s)

Kerckhofs Greet; Lee John; Macq Benoît;

Language

English
> French-friendly

Prerequisites

Students are expected to master the following skills: basic mathematical notions (derivatives, coordinate systems) and the Fourier transform, as they are covered within the course LFSAB1106

Main themes

The course deals with the basics of medical imaging, including digital image processing, as well as the main modalities of medical imaging (transmission imaging, emission imaging, ultrasound echography, and magnetic resonance imaging).

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

With respect to the AA referring system defined for the Master in Biomedical Engineering, the course contributes to the development, mastery and assessment of the following skills :

AA1.1, AA1.2, AA1.3
AA2.1, AA2.2, AA2.3, AA2.4
AA4.1, AA4.2, AA4.4
AA5.2, AA5.4

a. Domain-related learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to :
Part 1 (digital image processing) :

Define formally the concept of image and its properties (size, matrix of pixels/voxels, colormap, histogram, color or channel encoding, encoding of the matrix, compression, frequency space representation). (axis 1.1)
List the main classes of problems solved by image processing (denoising, deconvolution, filtering, edge detection, segmentation, registration). (axes 1.1 et 1.2)
List a few typical methods used to solve these different classes of problems. (axis 1.2)
Justify the choice of a method (data representation, criterion to be optimized) with respect to simple problems (segmentation of a slice, registration of two slices, etc.). (axes 1.3 et 2.3)
Solve these simple problems by implementing in Matlab the algorithms corresponding to the methods described in the course. (axes 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4)

Part 2 (MRI and echography) :

Describe the physical principle behind magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) : Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (spin, excitation, reception, relaxation, chemical shift,'). (axe 1.1)
Describe the principle that allows image reconstruction: gradients, slice/volume selection, frequency/phase encoding, k-space, Fourier transform, resolution, ', and describe the possible artifacts. (axes 1.1 et 1.2)
List and describe some sequences used for image acquisition (spin echo and gradient echo, ultrafast sequences and echo planar imaging) and compare their advantages, drawbacks, and application conditions. (axe 1.1)
List and describe the possible contrasts : proton density, T1, T2, T2*, flow, diffusion, perfusion, functional and spectroscopic imaging. (axe 1.1)
Explain the principles of ultrasound imaging : ultrasounds, transducers, image formation and image quality, Doppler imaging,' (axe 1.1)

Part 3 (imaging modalities using ionizing radiation) :

List the different imaging modalities described in the course (radiography, computerized tomography, scintigraphy, SPECT, and PET) and explain their underlying principle (mainly from the physics point of view), mention their applications, advantages and limitations. (axis 1.1)
Compare the performances of the different modalities together with the quality of the images (resolution, noise, contrast). (axis 1.2)
Discuss the specificity of each technique and the complementarity of the different modalities. (axis 2.3)

b. Transversal learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to :

Meet the objectives of a course given in English (understanding of the magistral lecture and of the supporting material). (axes 5.2 et 5.4)
Work in groups of two on small projects (challenges), namely : be able to share and distribute the workload, understand and describe the work of the other student, write a joint report. (axes 4.1, 4.2 et 4.4)

Content

The course is divided in three parts :
Part 1 : digital image processing (definition and properties of an image, histogram, spectrum, segmentation, edge detection, filtering, mathematical morphology, registration)
Part 2 : magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound imaging (linear systems : convolution, point spread function, Fourier transform, sampling ; image reconstruction : Radon transform, filtered backprojection, algebraic reconstruction)
Part 3 : transmission imaging (radiography and computerized tomography) and emission imaging (scintigraphy, SPECT and PET)

Teaching methods

The course consists of 13 lectures in English, three sessions of exercises (mostly reminders or introductory exercises), and three small projects (challenges). These challenges are based on the three different parts of lectures. For each challenge, groups of two students must submit a report. These reports are evaluated. During a debriefing session, the most commonly encountered issues will be presented and discussed between the teacher and the students. A visit of medical imaging facilities in Saint-Luc University Hospital (Brussels) completes the program. All activities can switch to comodal or distancial depending on sanitary conditions.

Evaluation methods

Evaluation of the exercises

The global grade for the practical exercices amounts to 7 points out of 20.

The practical sessions will be separated in two parts. The first part of the practical sessions will consist of 4 small Challenges to learn the basis of medical imaging processing algorithms and will account for half the points of the practical part of the course. The second part of the practical session will be dedicated to a bigger project that will explore the use of processing algorithms to solve a specific medical problem and will account for the second half the points of the practical part of the course. The submission of all challenge reports is mandatory to be admitted to the oral examination for part 1 of the course.

Evaluation of the learning outcomes

The students will be evaluated individually and orally on the basis of the contents and learning outcomes mentioned above. The oral examination will address :

Part 1 (5 points out of 20, image processing) : the student must answer two questions dealing with the methods and algorithms used in the challenges (see below). Starting from a simple problem (which can be solved with a pen and paper), the student should be able to justify his choices.

Part 2 (3 points out of 20, MRI) : the student must answer two questions (oral examination with written preparation)

Part 3 (5 points out of 20, imaging modalities using ionizing radiation) : the student must answer two questions (oral examination with written preparation).

Other information

The first two sessions of exercise are organized in the computer room

Online resources

Moodle
https://moodle.uclouvain.be/course/view.php?id=1072

Bibliography

Support de cours :
Partie 1 et 3: transparents.
Parties 2 : transparents et syllabus.
Les documents du cours sont disponibles sur Moodle.
Course material :
Parts 1 and 3: slides.
Part 2: slides and syllabus.
The course documents are available on Moodle.

Teaching materials

Transparents et notes relatives aux séances de cours disponibles sur Moodle. Slides and notes from class lectures available on Moodle

Faculty or entity

> GBIO

Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme

Sigle

Credits

Prerequisites

Learning outcomes

Master [120] in Biomedical Engineering

GBIO2M

Master [120] in Statistics: Biostatistics

BSTA2M

Master [120] in Electrical Engineering

ELEC2M

Master [120] in Computer Science and Engineering

INFO2M

Certificat universitaire en physique d'hôpital

RPHY9CE

Master [120] in Computer Science

SINF2M

Master [120] in Mathematical Engineering

MAP2M

Master [120] in Physics [professional focus of Medical Physics : UCLouvain-KULeuven]

PHYS2M

Master [120] in Medical Physics

PHMD2M