PiW-CZI PET teaching materials

Lecture 1

• Title: History: Past to present
• Description: Historical perspective through to modern imaging departments
• Author(s): Prof. Andrew Farrall
• Learning objectives:
  • Outline the historical development of imaging
  • List the techniques used in modern imaging departments
  • Identify which techniques do or do not use ionizing radiation
  • Distinguish between techniques which use ionizing radiation

Lecture 2

• Title: Terminology and orientation
• Description: Becoming familiar with how radiology looks at the body
• Author(s): Prof. Andrew Farrall
• Learning objectives:
  • Use and interpret radiological orientations, directions and convention

Lecture 3

• Title: Anatomy basics
• Description: A look at common anatomical landmarks and features
• Author(s): Prof. Andrew Farrall
• Learning objectives:
  • Identify common anatomical landmarks and features including:
  • Anatomical landmarks of the head surface anatomy
  • Skull features
  • Lobes, fissures and sulci
  • Grey and white matter
  • Arterial supplies to the brain

Lecture 4

• Title: Orientation to body imaging
• Description: A look at common body imaging descriptors and features
• Author(s): Dr. Michael Jackson, Prof. Andrew Farrall
• Learning objectives:
  • Recognise the three conventional anatomical planes: axial, coronal and sagittal as they relate to the body
  • Appreciate the direct relevance of these planes to cross-sectional imaging
  • Be aware of the concept of the anatomical position
  • Understand the terms proximal and distal in different settings
  • Be familiar with the meaning of the anatomical terms dorsal, ventral and cranio-caudal

Lecture 1

• Title: Imaging systems
• Description: The imaging process, PSF, deconvolution, artefacts & noise
• Author(s): Prof. Peter Hoskins
• Learning objectives:
  • State the imaging process
  • Define ‘imaged quantity’ & point spread function
  • Describe the imaging process
  • Discuss deconvolution and artefacts
  • Compare random noise & structured noise (speckle)
  • Demonstrate the detection of lesions
  • Illustrate effects of contrast, noise, spatial resolution

Lecture 2

• Title: Images
• Description: Digital image formation, key features; spatial/intensity resolution, resizing and brightness/contrast control
• Author(s): Dr. Tom MacGillivray
• Learning objectives:
  • Describe how a digital image is formed
  • Identify the key features of digital images
  • Explain spatial and intensity resolution
  • Outline how a digital image is resized
  • Define brightness and contrast

Lecture 3

• Title: Image processing basics
• Description: Purpose, key operations, 3D visualisation of medical data and image registration​​
• Author(s): Dr. Tom MacGillivray
• Learning objectives:
  • Outline the purpose of digital image processing
  • Identify key image processing operations
  • Differentiate between global & neighbourhood operations
  • Describe 3D visualisation of medical image data
  • State how image registration is implemented

Lecture 4

• Title: Image perception​​​​​​
• Description: Anatomy of the eye and vision performance
• Author(s): Prof. Peter Hoskins
• Learning objectives:
  • Define the relevant anatomy of the eye
  • Compare night and day vision
  • Demonstrate log response in brightness discrimination
  • State the adaptation range and Weber ratio
  • Specify grey level discrimination
  • Describe mach bands edge enhancement
  • Describe the point spread function of the eye
  • Evaluate a model of image perception

Lecture 1

• Title: ​​​​​​Fundamentals of PET imaging​​​​​
• Description: Key principles associated with Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
• ​​​​​​Author(s): Dr. Adriana Tavares​​​​​​
• Learning objectives:
  • Define PET imaging
  • Explain the radiotracer principle
  • Describe the physics & fundamental principles associated with PET imaging

Lecture 2

• Title: ​​​​​​Acquisition & reconstruction of PET images
• Description: The different acquisition & reconstruction methods in PET
• Author(s): Dr. Adriana Tavares
• Learning objectives:
  • Identify & describe different acquistion protocols commonly used in clinical PET imaging
  • Explain basic principles of PET image reconstruction

Lecture 3

• Title: ​​​​​​Principles of PET quality control (QC)
• Description: An outline of the importance of PET QC with some examples
• Author(s): Dr. Adriana Tavares
• ​​​​​​Learning objectives:
  • Explain the importance of QC programmes in PET
  • Identify & describe routine QC procedures in PET

Lecture 4

• Title: Micro-PET and micro-SPECT imaging​​​​​
• Description: Preclinical PET, SPECT imaging, and examples of applications in preclinical research​​​​​​
• Author(s): Dr. Adriana Tavares, Dr. Alison Fletcher
• Learning objectives:
  • Define molecular imaging - PET and SPECT
  • Describe physics principles associated with molecular imaging
  • State main applications of PET and SPECT imaging
  • Explain the radiotracer principle
  • Identify & describe key aspects associated with preclinical PET and SPECT imaging

Lecture 1

• Title: ​​​​The cyclotron
• Description: Generating radioisotopes - from source to target
• ​​​​​​Author(s): ​​​​​​Prof. AJ Farrall, Dr. Christophe Lucatelli
• Learning objectives:
  • Describe the cyclotron’s role in radiotracer generation
  • List key principles which underpin how a cyclotron works

Lecture 2

• Title: ​​​​Radiochemistry
• Description: Overview of radiotracer compositions & applications
• ​​​​​​Author(s): ​​​​​​Prof. AJ Farrall, Dr. Christophe Lucatelli
• Learning objectives:
  • List several radiotracers
  • Discuss radiotracer applications

Lecture 1 

• Title: ​​​​PET radiotracer design - metabolic considerations
• Description: Background to & examples of radiotracers which use the metabolism & the influence of metabolites on quantitative protein imaging.
• ​​​​​​Author(s): Vic Pike​​​​​​
• Learning objectives:
• Name radiotracers relying on metabolism for efficacy
  • Outline how brain radio-metabolites may compromise quantitative brain imaging
  • Describe radiolabel position importance in radiotracer performance
  • Describe time-stability importance of brain V_T
  • Describe strategies for avoiding radiodefluorination

Lecture 1 

• Title: ​​​​In Vivo PET imaging understood from the perspective of in vitro receptor binding - part 1
• Description: Overview of fundamental principles governing radiotracer interactions with targets, including binding kinetics, in vitro and in vivo.
• ​​​​​​Author(s): Robert Innis
• Learning objectives:
  • Describe law of mass action and associated constants
  • List and elaborate on principles of PET compartmental modelling
  • Interpret binding kinetics data from in vitro binding assay techniques and in vivo PET studies

Lecture 2 

• Title: ​​​​In Vivo PET imaging understood from the perspective of in vitro receptor binding - part 2
• Description: Receptor ligand theory applied to PET data analysis, key nomenclature used in PET kinetic modelling studies and ligand equilibrium concept. 
• ​​​​​​Author(s): Robert Innis
• Learning objectives:
  • State receptor ligand theory and how that can be applied to PET data
  • Describe key nomenclature used in PET kinetic modelling studies
  • Explain peak and transient ligand equilibrium concept

Lecture 3 

• Title: ​​​​Principles and applications of PET kinetic modelling
• Description: Overview of fundamental kinetic models used for quantification of PET datasets, including datasets obtained using reversible and irreversible binding radiotracers.  
• ​​​​​​Author(s): Rich Carson​​​​​​
• Learning objectives:
  • Outline PET compartmental modelling and tracer principles
  • List applications of PET tracer kinetic modelling
  • Present key points in tracer development and validation
  • Distinguish between reversible and irreversible tracers
  • List challenges of imaging non-brain areas

Lecture 4

• Title: ​​​​Reference tissue models and other simplified methods of PET quantification
• Description: Assumptions, advantages and disadvantages of simplified reference tissue kinetic modelling methods for quantification of PET datasets. 
• ​​​​​​Author(s): Adriaan Lammertsma​​​​​​
• Learning objectives:
  • List and elaborate on the fundamental principles of simplified methods of PET quantification
  • Explain assumptions made when using simplified methods of PET quantification
  • Describe pros and cons of simplified methods of PET quantification

Lecture 5 

• Title: ​​​​Quantitative brain PET imaging
• Description: Historical perspective of PET techniques used for neuroimaging studies and examples of key knowledge generated on brain function using PET. 
• ​​​​​​Author(s): Vesna Sossi
• Learning objectives:
  • Obtain a historical perspective on the quantitative nature of PET
  • Review the elements required to obtain quantitative PET data: quantitative images vs quantitative biological parameters
  • Examine the evolution of PET methods in light of the evolving understanding of brain function
  • Examine examples of new knowledge on brain function  enabled by advanced image analysis methods
  • Integrate the given information to project on future developments in brain PET imaging

Lecture 1

• Title: Radiomics and artificial intelligence applied to PET imaging: principles and applications
• Description: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) methodologies applied to PET imaging and radiomics analysis of PET datasets. 
• ​​​​​​Author(s): Irene Buvat​​​​​​
• Learning objectives:
  • Outline and describe the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as it is applied to PET imaging
  • Elaborate on AI principles and applications as they relate to imaging
  • Describe the use/extraction of quantitative features for image description
  • Differentiate between engineered and deep features used in AI & radiomics