Técnicas de Imagiologia Médica

Objectives

This UC intends to familiarize the students with the main modalities of medical imaging, image processing techniques and the use of contrast agents and radiopharmaceuticals under the different modalities. For this purpose, it is intended that they acquire knowledge and cognitive tools that allow them to understand what are the principles of the main modality of medical imaging and what are the main requirements for the design and use of contrast agents, radiopharmaceuticals and other types of imaging probes for PET, SPECT, MRI, Computed Tomography (CT), Ultrasonography (US) or Optical Imaging (OI).

Syllabus

1. Introduction to imaging 1.1. General concepts of anatomical and functional imaging 1.2. Clinical interest and relevance for biomedical research 2. Techniques and image processing in biomedical imaging 2.1. MRI 2.2. Radiology

• X-rays: planar radiology and computed tomography 2.3. Nuclear Imaging: scintigraphy, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) 2.4. Ultrasound: doppler ultrasound 2.5. Optical imaging: Bioluminescence and Fluorescence 3. Contrast agents and radiopharmaceuticals 3.1. Introduction to Chemistry of Biomedical Imaging 3.2. Contrast agents (molecular and nanometric) in radiology 3.3. Contrast agents (molecular and nanometric) for MRI 3.3. Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear imaging and theranostics 3.4. Multimodal probes (eg PET/SPECT/RM or PET/SPECT/IO) and their main advantages/disadvantages 3.5. Pre-clinical studies with cell models and animal models 4. Examples of clinical applications.

Cross Competence Component

- The “Imaging Techniques” course addresses topics relevant for several domains of biomedical sciences and clinical applications that can contribute for different SNG set out by the UN. These topics will be presented in an integrated way using relevant scientific publications, while putting in a historical context their impact in science and society. Therefore, it will contribute to improve the capability of the students to express themselves, and discuss in a critical fashion, about the uses and applications of nuclear sciences and technology, which imply important ethical issues. - Promotion of other interpersonal and intrapersonal skills (e.g, organizational capabilities and teamwork), namely through the laboratory courses. - The transversal competences will contribute to roughly 20% of the students evaluation.

Laboratorial Component

In practical classes students will be able to apply the knowledge acquired in theoretical classes in terms of image acquisition and processing, as well as in laboratory work involving the characterization and evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals.

Programming And Computing Component

Laboratory classes will be complemented with the use of simulation and image reconstruction models, using, for the case of image reconstruction involving ionizing radiation, examples of simulation tools based on Geant4 and appropriate image reconstruction algorithms.

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group's work. In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose and help received and sources used. In any oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.