Introduction to Biomedical Imaging

An integrated, comprehensive survey of biomedical imaging modalities

An important component of the recent expansion in bioengineering is the area of biomedical imaging. This book provides in-depth coverage of the field of biomedical imaging, with particular attention to an engineering viewpoint.

Suitable as both a professional reference and as a text for a one-semester course for biomedical engineers or medical technology students, Introduction to Biomedical Imaging covers the fundamentals and applications of four primary medical imaging techniques: magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and X-ray/computed tomography.

Taking an accessible approach that includes any necessary mathematics and transform methods, this book provides rigorous discussions of:

• The physical principles, instrumental design, data acquisition strategies, image reconstruction techniques, and clinical applications of each modality
• Recent developments such as multi-slice spiral computed tomography, harmonic and sub-harmonic ultrasonic imaging, multi-slice PET scanning, and functional magnetic resonance imaging
• General image characteristics such as spatial resolution and signal-to-noise, common to all of the imaging modalities

A textbook for a one-semester course in biomedical imaging at the junior or senior undergraduate level for students of biomedical engineering or other engineering disciplines. It covers physical principles, instrument design, data acquisition, image reconstruction, and clinical applications of X-ray and computed tomography, nuclear medicine, ultrasonic imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:E. Russell Ritenour, PhD(University of Minnesota School of Medicine)
Description:This book would help junior-senior level undergraduate engineers understand medical imaging. It builds upon math and physics knowledge that they would have at that point to explain physical aspects of image acquisition as well as introductory image processing.
Purpose:According to the preface, the book is is intended to show how principles of mathematics, physics, and engineering are used in biomedical imaging. These are worthy objectives. It is my experience that even biomedical engineering academic programs are usually weak in imaging instruction. The book meets the stated objectives.
Audience:It is written for junior-to-senior level undergraduate engineers. The author has published in the field and has received recognition for his work..
Features:The first four chapters cover the principles behind and the factors that affect performance and safety of the different types of medical imaging. Material that is common to all images, such as spatial resolution and frequency space analysis, is presented in the fifth chapter. The appendixes deal with complex mathematical topics such as the Fourier transform and back projection. The book's best feature is that it uses a reasonably high level of mathematical explanation at the same time that it is an introduction to this particular topic.
Assessment:This book fills a particular niche in that it is as mathematically sophisticated as upper level undergrad engineering students would need, but still is introductory in the sense that it is assumed that they have no knowledge of the imaging principles or types of imaging used in medicine. It does a particularly good job of covering not only basic imaging, but some of the latest technological developments in the field. It is more mathematically rigorous than a book meant for physicians, such as Hendee and Ritenour's Medical Imaging Physics, 4th edition (John Wiley and Sons, 2002). However, it is not as mathematically rigorous as Hobbie's Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology, 3rd edition (Springer-Verlag, 1997). The book by Hobbie is appropriate for physics majors, but would be less satisfying to engineering students.

ANDREW WEBB, PhD, is a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Webb has contributed to many areas of magnetic resonance imaging including developments in radiofrequency coil design, feedback control of thermal processes, techniques for localized spectroscopy, and functional brain mapping. He was awarded a Whitaker Foundation Research Award and a National Science Foundation Career Award in 1997, a Wolfgang-Paul Prize from the Alexander von Humbolt Foundation in 2001, and Xerox and Willett awards for young faculty in 2002. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE.