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PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES OF PET, MRI, AND CT TOMOGRAPHY

PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES OF PET, MRI, AND CT TOMOGRAPHY

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Course PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES OF PET, MRI, AND CT TOMOGRAPHY Code MTIB2315
Field of study 70530507 – Medical Physics Semester 3
Form of Study Full-time Taught Language English
Lectures 30 Practical Lessons -
Seminars 30 Independent Work 60
Total Hours 120 Credits 4

Lectures – Semester 3

Code Theme Material
L1 Introduction to Medical Tomography Modalities. Evolution of medical imaging: from X-ray to multimodal tomography. General principles of image formation. Comparative overview of PET, MRI, and CT. Download
L2 Physics of X-rays and Computed Tomography (CT). X-ray generation and spectra. Attenuation and transmission through matter. Beer–Lambert law for CT imaging. Download
L3 CT Scanner Design and Image Reconstruction. Components of CT systems: tube, detector, gantry. Projection data acquisition (sinogram). Reconstruction algorithms (FBP, iterative methods). Download
L4 Advanced Physics of CT Imaging. Spatial resolution, contrast, and noise. Dose in CT imaging and dose reduction techniques. Dual-energy and spectral CT principles. Download
L5 Physics of Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Radioactive decay and positron emission. Annihilation photons and coincidence detection. Physics of radionuclide production (cyclotrons). Download
L6 PET Detectors and Electronics. Scintillation crystals and photodetectors. Time-of-flight (TOF) PET. Energy and timing resolution. Download
L7 PET Image Formation and Reconstruction. Line of response (LOR) and sinogram generation. Iterative reconstruction (MLEM, OSEM). Noise and resolution trade-offs. Download
L8 Physics of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) fundamentals. Spin precession, Larmor frequency, relaxation (T1, T2, T2*). Bloch equations. Download
L9 MRI Signal Generation and Detection. RF pulses and resonance excitation. Free induction decay (FID) and signal detection. Relaxation mechanisms in tissue contrast. Download
L10 Spatial Encoding in MRI. Gradient magnetic fields and spatial localization. k-space concept and Fourier reconstruction. Resolution vs. acquisition time. Download
L11 Advanced MRI Techniques. Diffusion MRI, functional MRI (fMRI), MR spectroscopy. Fast imaging methods (EPI, FLASH). Parallel imaging. Download
L12 Quantitative Aspects of PET, MRI, and CT. Image quality metrics: SNR, CNR, resolution. Quantitative imaging biomarkers. Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) in PET. Download
L13 Multimodal Imaging Systems. PET/CT and PET/MRI hybrid systems. Technical integration challenges. Clinical advantages of multimodal imaging. Download
L14 Safety and Quality Control in Tomography. Radiation dose in CT and PET. MRI safety: strong magnetic fields, RF heating. Quality assurance protocols in tomographic imaging. Download
L15 Future Directions in Tomographic Imaging. Spectral CT and photon-counting detectors. Ultra-high-field MRI. AI and deep learning in PET/MRI/CT image reconstruction. Download

Seminar Lessons – Semester 3

Code Theme Material
S1 Fundamentals of Medical Imaging. Comparative discussion of PET, MRI, and CT imaging modalities. Necessity of multiple imaging methods in modern diagnostics. Download
S2 Physics of X-ray Attenuation and CT Contrast. Problem set on attenuation coefficients, Beer–Lambert law. Case study: how tissue composition affects CT contrast. Download
S3 Photon Detection in CT and PET. Exercise: energy resolution and count statistics in photon detectors. Discussion: semiconductor vs scintillation detectors Download
S4 Image Reconstruction in CT. Solving simple Radon transform inversion problems. Demonstration: filtered back projection (FBP) vs iterative reconstruction. Download
S5 Radioactive Tracers in PET. Literature review on commonly used tracers (e.g., FDG). Group discussion: biological vs physical challenges in tracer selection. Download
S6 Coincidence Detection and PET Physics. Problem solving on positron range, annihilation photons, coincidence timing. Discussion: limitations of spatial resolution in PET. Download
S7 Noise and Resolution in CT and PET. Analytical problems: SNR dependence on photon statistics. Analyzing published PET/CT data for resolution vs noise trade-off. Download
S8 Magnetic Resonance Fundamentals. Hands-on calculations of Larmor frequency, relaxation times. Discussion: T1 vs T2 weighted imaging in clinical practice. Download
S9 Pulse Sequences in MRI. Designing pulse sequence diagrams. Case study: fast spin-echo vs gradient-echo imaging. Download
S10 Functional and Advanced MRI Techniques. Literature presentations: fMRI, diffusion MRI, MR spectroscopy. Critical review: applications in neuroscience and oncology. Download
S11 Multimodal Imaging: PET/CT and PET/MRI. Case study: PET/CT scan workflow. Group task: compare clinical scenarios for PET/CT vs PET/MRI. Download
S12 Image Quality Metrics. Problem-solving: contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), modulation transfer function (MTF). Hands-on evaluation of sample PET, MRI, CT images. Download
S13 Radiation Dose and Safety. Discussion on ALARA principle in CT and PET. Exercises: calculating effective dose from scan parameters. Download
S14 Emerging Trends in Medical Tomography. Deep learning in image reconstruction, spectral CT, ultra-high-field MRI. Discussion: will AI replace traditional reconstruction? Download
S15 Mini-Projects and Presentations. Presentation of a short project (literature review, simulation, or analysis). Peer review and feedback. Download
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