NPRE 435: Radiological Imaging
Fall, 2021
Course Description
In this course, we will
discuss the basic principles for generating
tomographic images of volumetric objects through the detection of ionizing
radiation signals. These include the sources of ionizing radiation, interactions of ionizing radiation with matter,
operating principles for state-of-art imaging detectors, mathematical and statistical principles for
modeling the detected signal, basic techniques for reconstructing tomographic
images from measured projections. Based on these discussions, we will introduce several critically important imaging
modalities, such as planar X-ray
radiography, X-ray computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography
(PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and their
application in the diagnosis of diseases, monitoring therapeutic responses and
as research tools for understanding the
molecular pathways underlying various biological processes. We will also
discuss several emerging radiological imaging techniques,
such as X-ray fluorescence emission tomography (XFET), X-ray luminescence
computed tomography (XLCT) and their applications
in preclinical and clinical research.
This course will not only cover the basic principles of current
radiological imaging techniques but also highlight the advantages and
limitations of the existing imaging modalities, as well as identify potential directions for further
advancing the field of radiological imaging.
Syllabus
and Tentative
Schedule
§
Teaching Staff and Office
Hours
Instructor: Ling-Jian Meng, Ph.D. E-mail:
ljmeng@illinois.edu; Office: 111E Talbot Lab; Tel: 217-3337710.
Office hours: 3-5 pm on Friday. Please feel
free to come to my office during regular hours or to send me an email to make
an appointment.
Lecture Time and Place
MWF 2:00pm-2:50pm; 2036 Campus
Instructional Facility.
Prerequisites
Unofficially:
radiation interactions, basic principles of radiation detectors, probability
and random variables complex numbers, linear algebra, Matlab.
Textbook
Required
textbooks
[1] Medical Imaging Signals and Systems (2nd
Edition), J. Prince and J. M. Links, Pearson Prentice
Hall, 2012. Chapter 1-3, Chapter 4-6.
Reference
[1] Foundations of Medical Imaging, Z. H.
Cho, John Wiley & Sons, 1993.
[2] Radiation Detection and
Measurements, Third Edition, G. F. Knoll, John Wiley & Sons, 1999.
Course Website and Zoom Link for Online Lectures
Course website: https://courses.engr.illinois.edu/npre435/
Zoom link for online lectures: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/88173115301?pwd=RHQ0cVBsczg2V09QOFNyalRCTmI2Zz09
Lecture
Notes (will be posted after each lecture)
Introduction
to Radiological Imaging (08/25-08/27).
Chapter 1:
A (Very) Brief Introduction to Radiation Sources and Radiation Interactions
§ A
brief introduction to the radiation sources commonly used in radiological
imaging: (08/27 – 08/30) Reading Material: Chapters 1 in Ref. book [3].
§ 
Radiation
Interactions: Reading Material: Chapters 2 in Ref. book [3].
Chapter 2:
Linear System Theory
§ Signals
and systems: Reading Material: Chapters 2 in Ref. book [1].
§ Fourier
transform basics, and sampling theory: Reading Material: Chapters 2 in Ref.
book [1] and Chapters 2 in Ref. book [2].
Chapter 3: Mathematical
Preliminaries for Image Processing
§ Analytical
Image Reconstruction Methods (1): Radon Transform & Central Slice
Theorem: Reading: Chapter 3 in Ref. book [1]. Chapter 6 (Page 192-207) in Ref.
book [2]
§ 
Analytical
Image Reconstruction Methods (2): Back-projection based reconstruction
methods:
§ A
brief introduction to MATLAB.
§ Iterative
Image Reconstruction Methods: please also see the attached paper by Shepp and Vardi on MLEM.
§ Image
Quality: Reading Material: Chapters 3 in Ref. book [2].
Chapter 4:
X-ray Radiography and Computed Tomography
§ X-Ray
Physics (1): X-ray generation.
Reading Material: Chapters 4 & 5 in Ref. book [2]
§ X-Ray
Physics (2): X-ray interactions, attenuation, and practical considerations.
Reading Material: Chapters 4 & 5 in Ref. book [2]
§ X-Ray
Physics (3): X-ray detectors. Reading Material: Chapters 4 & 5 in Ref.
book [2]
§ 
X-Ray
CT: Image formation
and image quality: Reading Material: Chapters 6 in Ref. book [2].
Chapter 5:
Emission Tomography and Related Imaging Techniques
§ Single
Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) (1): principle, radionuclides, and Imaging systems: Reading Material: Chapters 7
& 8 in Ref. book [2].
§ Single
Photon Emission Computed Tomography (2): SPECT systems, Image Formation, Design
Considerations, and Recent Advances: Reading Material: Chapters 7 & 8 in
Ref. book [2].
§ Positron
Emission Tomography (PET): Basic Principle, Instrumentations, Design
Considerations, and Clinical Applications: Additional Reading Material:
Chapters 9 in Ref. book [2], and recent technological advances.
Homeworks (will be posted after each Monday’s lecture)
Homework
1: Due at 5 pm on 10-04-21, please
send your electronic copy to me by email. (Solutions)
Homework
2: Due at 5 pm on 10-25-21. (Solutions)
Mid-term Exam Information
Time: Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, 2-3 PM in class
Content
covered: Chapter 2 – Mathematical Preliminaries.
There will be four questions in the exam.
Format: Close-book, but you could bring a 2-page “cheat-sheet.”
Final Exam Information
Format: Take-home,
the exam will be send by email.
Time: The exam
will be distributed on Monday, December 13 at noon, and will be due
on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at noon.
Content covered:
Chapters 4 and 5 as appeared on the course website.
There will be 810
questions in the exam.
Grading
Homework 30%
Mid-term
exam:
30%
Quizzes: 10%
Final
exam:
Exam 30%