Course information

M.MTEC.B.24.SS26 — Functional Imaging Technology and Devices 2 (ILV-1)
Course Description

This course provides an application-oriented overview of functional imaging technologies, structured into three parts:

nuclear medicine imaging (50%),

animal ethics and handling (25%),

and preclinical optical imaging (25%).

The nuclear medicine section covers the physical foundations of radiation, photon interactions with matter, radiation sources, and detector/photodetector concepts. It then introduces the principles and system components of PET and SPECT, including the comparison of clinical and preclinical platforms (microPET/microSPECT) and the role of preclinical CT in hybrid imaging. Core elements of image reconstruction, major corrections (e.g., attenuation/scatter-related effects), and quantification concepts are addressed to support correct interpretation of functional images.

The animal module introduces ethical requirements and practical aspects of conducting preclinical imaging studies, including animal welfare principles and key factors influencing data quality such as tracer administration, sampling, anesthesia, and physiological variability.

The optical imaging section presents the principles, instrumentation, and typical applications of fluorescence imaging, bioluminescence imaging, and photoacoustic imaging, with emphasis on performance limitations and the complementary role of optical methods alongside nuclear medicine techniques in preclinical research.