Experienced Guidance on the Technical Issues of Decommissioning ProjectsWritten by one of the original MARSSIM authors, Decommissioning Health Physics: A Handbook for MARSSIM Users, Second Edition is the only book to incorporate all of the requisite technical aspects of planning and executing radiological surveys in support of decommissioning. Extensively revised and updated, it covers survey instrumentation, detection sensitivity, statistics, dose modeling, survey procedures, and release criteria. New to the Second Edition Chapter on hot spot assessment that recognizes appropriate dosimetric significance of hot spots when designing surveys and includes a new approach for establishing hot spot limits Chapter on the clearance or release of materials, highlighting aspects of the MARSAME manual Revised chapter on characterization survey design to reflect guidance in ANSI N13.59 on the value of data quality objectives (DQOs) Updated regulations and guidance documents throughout Updated survey instrumentation used to support decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) surveys, including expanded coverage of in situ gamma spectrometers Revised statistics chapter that includes an introduction to Bayesian statistics and additional double sampling and ranked set sampling statistical approaches More case studies and examples throughout Implement the Surveys Effectively and Avoid Common PitfallsWith more than 20 years of experience as a practitioner in the decommissioning survey field, author Eric W. Abelquist prepares you for the technical challenges associated with planning and executing MARSSIM surveys. He discusses the application of statistics for survey design and data reduction and addresses the selection of survey instrumentation and detection sensitivity. He presents final status survey procedures and covers pathway modeling to translate release criteria to measurable quantities. He also offers solutions for navigating the complexity inherent in designing and implementing MARSSIM and MARSAME surveys. Detailed derivations, thorough discussions of technical bases, and real-world examples and case studies illustrate effective strategies for demonstrating to regulators and stakeholders that contaminated sites can be released for other beneficial uses.

- All of the contributors are renowned experts in the field, and many are pioneers of radiosurgery (such as L. Dade Lunsford, Douglas Kondziolka, Jason Sheehan, Jean Regis).

Sensors were developed to detect and quantify structures and functions of human body as well as to gather information from the environment in order to optimize the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and quality of healthcare services as well as to improve health and quality of life. This book offers an up-to-date overview of the concepts, modeling, technical and technological details and practical applications of different types of sensors. It also discusses the trends for the next generation of sensors and systems for healthcare settings. It is aimed at researchers and graduate students in the field of healthcare technologies, as well as academics and industry professionals involved in developing sensing systems for human body structures and functions, and for monitoring activities and health.

A best-selling resource now in its fifth edition, Paul Davidovits' Physics in Biology and Medicine provides a high-quality and highly relevant physics grounding for students working toward careers in the medical and related professions. The text does not assume a prior background in physics, but provides it as required. It discusses biological systems that can be analyzed quantitatively and demonstrates how advances in the life sciences have been aided by the knowledge of physical or engineering analysis techniques, with applications, practice, and illustrations throughout. Physics in Biology and Medicine, Fifth Edition, includes new material and corresponding exercises on many exciting developments in the field since the prior edition, including biomechanics of joint replacement; biotribology and frictional properties of biological materials such as saliva, hair, and skin; 3-D printing and its use in medicine; new materials in dentistry; microfluidics and its applications to medicine; health, fractals, and the second law of thermodynamics; bioelectronic medicine; microsensors in medicine; role of myelin in learning, cryoelectron microscopy; clinical uses of sound; health impact of nanoparticle in polluted air. This revised edition delivers a concise and engaging introduction to the role and importance of physics in biology and medicine. It is ideal for courses in biophysics, medical physics, and related subjects.

Radiomics and Radiogenomics: Technical Basis and Clinical Applications provides a first summary of the overlapping fields of radiomics and radiogenomics, showcasing how they are being used to evaluate disease characteristics and correlate with treatment response and patient prognosis. It explains the fundamental principles, technical bases, and clinical applications with a focus on oncology. The book's expert authors present computational approaches for extracting imaging features that help to detect and characterize disease tissues for improving diagnosis, prognosis, and evaluation of therapy response. This book is intended for audiences including imaging scientists, medical physicists, as well as medical professionals and specialists such as diagnostic radiologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists. Features Provides a first complete overview of the technical underpinnings and clinical applications of radiomics and radiogenomics Shows how they are improving diagnostic and prognostic decisions with greater efficacy Discusses the image informatics, quantitative imaging, feature extraction, predictive modeling, software tools, and other key areas Covers applications in oncology and beyond, covering all major disease sites in separate chapters Includes an introduction to basic principles and discussion of emerging research directions with a roadmap to clinical translation

PET and SPECT imaging has improved to such a level that they are opening up exciting new horizons in medical diagnosis and treatment. This book provides a complete introduction to fundamentals and the latest progress in the field, including an overview of new scintillator materials and innovations in photodetector development, as well as the latest system designs and image reconstruction algorithms. It begins with basics of PET and SPECT physics, followed by technology advances and computing methods, quantitative techniques, multimodality imaging, instrumentation, pre-clinical and clinical imaging applications.

This book covers the broad field of cellular, molecular, preclinical, and clinical imaging either associated with or combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT). It showcases how this approach is used clinically for cancer, infections, and diseases characterized by unwanted tissue such as atherosclerosis or blindness. Because the photosensitizers are also fluorescent, the book also addresses various imaging systems such as confocal microscopy and small animal imaging systems, and highlights how they have been used to follow and optimize treatment, and to answer important mechanistic questions. Chapters also discuss how imaging has made important contributions to clinical outcomes in skin, bladder, and brain cancers, as well as in the development of theranostic agents for detection and treatment of disease. This book provides a resource for physicians and research scientists in cell biology, microscopy, optics, molecular imaging, oncology, and drug discovery.

This book provides a first authoritative text on radiochromic film, covering the basic principles, technology advances, practical methods, and applications. It focuses on practical uses of radiochromic film in radiation dosimetry for diagnostic x-rays, brachytherapy, radiosurgery, external beam therapies (photon, electron, protons), stereotactic body radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, and other emerging radiation technologies. The expert authors address basic concepts, advantages, and the main applications including kilovoltage, brachytherapy, megavoltage, electron beam, proton beam, skin dose, in vivo dosimetry, postal and clinical trial dosimetry. The final chapters discuss the state of the art in microbeam, synchrotron radiation, and ultraviolet radiation dosimetry.

This first dedicated overview for beam's eye view (BEV) covers instrumentation, methods, and clinical use of this exciting technology, which enables real-time anatomical imaging. It highlights how the information collected (e.g., the shape and size of the beam aperture and intensity of the beam) is used in the clinic for treatment verification, adaptive radiotherapy, and in-treatment interventions. The chapters cover detector construction and components, common imaging procedures, and state of the art applications. The reader will also be presented with emerging innovations, including target modifications, real-time tracking, reconstructing delivered dose, and in vivo portal dosimetry. Ross I. Berbeco, PhD, is a board-certified medical physicist and Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

The field of medical imaging seen rapid development over the last two decades and has consequently revolutionized the way in which modern medicine is practiced. Diseases and their symptoms are constantly changing therefore continuous updating is necessary for the data to be relevant. Diseases fall into different categories, even a small difference in symptoms may result in categorising it in a different group altogether. Thus analysing data accurately is of critical importance. This book concentrates on diagnosing diseases like cancer or tumor from different modalities of images. This book is divided into the following domains: Importance of big data in medical imaging, pre-processing, image registration, feature extraction, classification and retrieval. It is further supplemented by the medical analyst for a continuous treatment process. The book provides an automated system that could retrieve images based on user's interest to a point of providing decision support. It will help medical analysts to take informed decisions before planning treatment and surgery. It will also be useful to researchers who are working in problems involved in medical imaging.

Ultrasonic imaging is an economic, reliable diagnostic technique. Owing to recent therapeutic applications, understanding the physical principles of medical ultrasonics is becoming increasingly important.

Covering the basics of elasticity, linear acoustics, wave propagation, nonlinear acoustics, transducer components, ultrasonic imaging modes, basics on cavitation and bubble physics, as well as the most common diagnostic and therapeutic applications, Fundamentals of Medical Ultrasonics explores the physical and engineering principles of acoustics and ultrasound as used for medical applications.

It offers students and professionals in medical physics and engineering a detailed overview of the technical aspects of medical ultrasonic imaging, whilst serving as a reference for clinical and research staff.

This book introduces readers to the principles of laser interaction with biological cells and tissues with varying degrees of organization. In addition to considering the problems of biomedical cell diagnostics, and modeling the scattering of laser irradiation of blood cells for biological structures (dermis, epidermis, vascular plexus), it presents an analytic theory based on solving the wave equation for the electromagnetic field. It discusses a range of mathematical modeling topics, including optical characterization of biological tissue with large-scale and small-scale inhomogeneities in the layers; heating blood vessels using laser irradiation on the outer surface of the skin; and thermo-chemical denaturation of biological structures based on the example of human skin. In this second edition, a new electrodynamic model of the interaction of laser radiation with blood cells is presented for the structure of cells and the in vitro prediction of optical properties. The approach developed makes it possible to determine changes in cell size as well as modifications in their internal structures, such as transformation and polymorphism nucleus scattering, which is of interest for cytological studies. The new model is subsequently used to calculate the size distribution function of irregular-shape particles with a variety of forms and structures, which allows a cytological analysis of the observed deviations from normal cells.

This book focuses on the processing, materials design, characterisation, and properties of polymer composites and nanocomposites for use as electromagnetic radiation shielding materials and to enhance radiation shielding capacity in order to meet the safety requirements for use in medical X-ray imaging facilities. It presents an in-depth analysis of materials synthesis methods such as melt-mixing, ion-implantation, solution casting and electrospinning. In addition, it measures the X-ray attenuation behaviour of fabricated composites and nanocomposites in four major types of X-ray equipment, namely general radiography, mammography, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy units. Given its scope, the book will benefit researchers, engineers, scientists and practitioners in the fields of medical imaging, diagnostic radiology and radiation therapy.

Offering the latest information in magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) research, Magnetic Nanoparticles: From Fabrication to Clinical Applications provides a comprehensive review, from synthesis, characterization, and biofunctionalization to clinical applications of MNPs, including the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. This book, written by some of the most qualified experts in the field, not only fills a hole in the literature, but also bridges the gaps between all the different areas in this field. Translational research on tailored magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications spans a variety of disciplines, and putting together the most significant advances into a practical format is a challenging task. Balancing clinical applications with the underlying theory and foundational science behind these new discoveries, Magnetic Nanoparticles: From Fabrication to Clinical Applications supplies a toolbox of solutions and ideas for scientists in the field and for young researchers interested in magnetic nanoparticles.

Although noninvasive, continuous monitoring of glucose concentration in blood and tissues is one of the most challenging areas in medicine, a wide range of optical techniques has recently been designed to help develop robust noninvasive methods for glucose sensing. For the first time in book form, the Handbook of Optical Sensing of Glucose in Biological Fluids and Tissues analyzes trends in noninvasive optical glucose sensing and discusses its impact on tissue optical properties. This handbook presents methods that improve the accuracy in glucose prediction based on infrared absorption spectroscopy, recent studies on the influence of acute hyperglycemia on cerebral blood flow, and the correlation between diabetes and the thermo-optical response of human skin. It examines skin glucose monitoring by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), fluorescence-based glucose biosensors, and a photonic crystal contact lens sensor. The contributors also explore problems of polarimetric glucose sensing in transparent and turbid tissues as well as offer a high-resolution optical technique for noninvasive, continuous, and accurate blood glucose monitoring and glucose diffusion measurement. Written by world-renowned experts in biomedical optics and biophotonics, this book gives a complete, state-of-the-art treatise on the design and applications of noninvasive optical methods and instruments for glucose sensing.

Improve the Accurate Detection and Diagnosis of Cancer and Other Diseases Despite the expansion of the CAD field in recent decades, there is currently no single book dedicated to the development and use of CAD systems. Filling this need, Computer-Aided Detection and Diagnosis in Medical Imaging covers the major technical advances and methodologies shaping the development and clinical utility of CAD systems in breast imaging, chest imaging, abdominal imaging, and other emerging applications. After a historical overview of CAD, the book is divided into four sections. The first section presents CAD technologies in breast imaging, which is the most advanced area of CAD application. The second section discusses CAD technologies in chest and abdominal imaging. The third section explores emerging CAD technologies in a wide range of imaging modalities designed to address a variety of diseases. The final section describes the current use of CAD systems in clinical practice as well as how CAD will play an important role in quantitative image biomarkers and imaging genomics research. This book brings together existing and emerging CAD approaches at a level understandable to students, CAD system developers, basic scientists, and physician scientists. Newcomers to CAD research will learn about fundamental aspects in the process of CAD system development. Developers of CAD systems will gain insight on designing new or improved CAD systems. Experienced researchers will get up-to-date information on the latest CAD technologies.

Read an exclusive interview with Dr. Jerry Battista here. A critical element of radiation treatment planning for cancer is the accurate prediction and delivery of a tailored radiation dose distribution inside the patient. Megavoltage x-ray beams are aimed at the tumour, while collateral damage to nearby healthy tissue and organs is minimized. The key to optimal treatment therefore lies in adopting a trustworthy three-dimensional (3D) dose computation algorithm, which simulates the passage of both primary and secondary radiation throughout the exposed tissue. Edited by an award-winning university educator and pioneer in the field of voxel-based radiation dose computation, this book explores the physics and mathematics that underlie algorithms encountered in contemporary radiation oncology. It is an invaluable reference for clinical physicists who commission, develop, or test treatment planning software. This book also covers a core topic in the syllabus for educating graduate students and residents entering the field of clinical physics. This book starts with a historical perspective gradually building up to the three most important algorithms used for today's clinical applications. These algorithms can solve the same general radiation transport problem from three vantages: firstly, applying convolution-superposition principles (i.e. Green's method); secondly, the stochastic simulation of radiation particle interactions with tissue atoms (i.e. the Monte Carlo method); and thirdly, the deterministic solution of the fundamental equations for radiation fields of x-rays and their secondary particles (i.e. the Boltzmann method). It contains clear, original illustrations of key concepts and quantities thoughout, supplemented by metaphors and analogies to facilitate comprehension and retention of knowledge. Features: Edited by an authority in the field, enhanced with chapter contributions from physicists with clinical experience in the fields of computational dosimetry and dose optimization Contains examples of test phantom results and clinical cases, illustrating pitfalls to avoid in clinical applications to radiation oncology Introduces four-dimensional (4D) dose computation, on-line dose reconstruction, and dose accumulation that accounts for tissue displacements and motion throughout a course of radiation therapy

Informatics in Medical Imaging provides a comprehensive survey of the field of medical imaging informatics. In addition to radiology, it also addresses other specialties such as pathology, cardiology, dermatology, and surgery, which have adopted the use of digital images. The book discusses basic imaging informatics protocols, picture archiving and communication systems, and the electronic medical record. It details key instrumentation and data mining technologies used in medical imaging informatics as well as practical operational issues, such as procurement, maintenance, teleradiology, and ethics. Highlights Introduces the basic ideas of imaging informatics, the terms used, and how data are represented and transmitted Emphasizes the fundamental communication paradigms: HL7, DICOM, and IHE Describes information systems that are typically used within imaging departments: orders and result systems, acquisition systems, reporting systems, archives, and information-display systems Outlines the principal components of modern computing, networks, and storage systems Covers the technology and principles of display and acquisition detectors, and rounds out with a discussion of other key computer technologies Discusses procurement and maintenance issues; ethics and its relationship to government initiatives like HIPAA; and constructs beyond radiology The technologies of medical imaging and radiation therapy are so complex and computer-driven that it is difficult for physicians and technologists responsible for their clinical use to know exactly what is happening at the point of care. Medical physicists are best equipped to understand the technologies and their applications, and these individuals are assuming greater responsibilities in the clinical arena to ensure that intended care is delivered in a safe and effective manner. Built on a foundation of classic and cutting-edge research, Informatics in Medical Imaging supports and updates medical physicists functioning at the intersection of radiology and radiation.

Hadron therapy is a groundbreaking new method of treating cancer. Boasting greater precision than other therapies, this therapy is now utilised in many clinical settings and the field is growing. More than 50 medical facilities currently perform (or are planned to perform) this treatment, with this number set to double by 2020. This new text covers the most recent advances in hadron therapy, exploring the physics, technology, biology, diagnosis, clinical applications, and economics behind the therapy. Providing essential and up-to-date information on recent developments in the field, this book will be of interest to current and aspiring specialists from a wide range of backgrounds. Features: Multidisciplinary approach: explores the physics, IT (big data), biology, clinical applications from imaging to treatment, clinical trials, and economics associated with hadron therapy Contains the latest research and developments in this rapidly evolving field, and integrates them into the current global challenges for radiation therapy Edited by recognised leaders in the field, including the co-ordinator of ENLIGHT (the European Network for Light Ion Hadron Therapy), with chapter contributions from international leading experts in the field

Image-Guided Radiation Therapy presents key image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) technologies for external beam radiotherapy. The book explores the decades-long technological developments that have occurred in the realm of image-guided conformal, customized radiation treatment. Expert authors, all of whom have actively participated in the development or implementation of IGRT, imaging, and enabling technologies, share their first-hand experiences on the science, clinical uses, and impact of these technologies. They describe kilovoltage and megavoltage imaging as well as radiological, ultrasound, and optical technologies for determining and validating target and patient positioning. The book examines how anatomical and biological imaging using CT and PET has contributed to the understanding of target volume boundaries and biological behavior. It also explores such innovations as 4D PET/CT and digital tomosynthesis. Advancing patient care, this book focuses on a wealth of hybrid IGRT technologies and devices for coupled imaging and treatment inside the radiation treatment room. It thoroughly covers the modalities, software tools, and imaging treatment geometries that constitute IGRT.

This volume documents the progress made in the design of complex artificial systems and in the study of intermolecular forces and interactions. It is possible, using appropriate strategies based on building blocks, to obtain very large supramolecular arrays containing several hundered atoms, where specific sites are occupied by the desired chemical functions. Such arrays can be used for such things as molecular recognition, self-organization, self-replication, selective reactivity, selective catalysis, photoinduced energy and electron transfer, signal processing, information storage and drug delivery.

Proton and Carbon Ion Therapy is an up-to-date guide to using proton and carbon ion therapy in modern cancer treatment. The book covers the physics and radiobiology basics of proton and ion beams, dosimetry methods and radiation measurements, and treatment delivery systems. It gives practical guidance on patient setup, target localization, and treatment planning for clinical proton and carbon ion therapy. The text also offers detailed reports on the treatment of pediatric cancers, lymphomas, and various other cancers. After an overview, the book focuses on the fundamental aspects of proton and carbon ion therapy equipment, including accelerators, gantries, and delivery systems. It then discusses dosimetry, biology, imaging, and treatment planning basics and provides clinical guidelines on the use of proton and carbon ion therapy for the treatment of specific cancers. Suitable for anyone involved with medical physics and radiation therapy, this book offers a balanced and critical assessment of state-of-the-art technologies, major challenges, and the future outlook of proton and carbon ion therapy. It presents a thorough introduction for those new to the field while providing a helpful, up-to-date reference for readers already using the therapy in clinical settings.

Targeted Molecular Imaging covers the development of novel diagnostic approaches that use an imaging probe and agent to noninvasively visualize cellular processes in normal and disease states. It discusses the concept, development, preclinical studies, and, in many cases, translation to the clinic of targeted imaging agents. The many case studies that form the core of this book deal with the development and translation of non-nuclear probes and radiotracers; other sections address critical topics such as In vitro studies, small animal research, and the application of targeted probes for nuclear, optical and MRI imaging. The chapters use a common format to demonstrate how various investigators approach the comprehensive task of validating a new targeted probe. Targeted Molecular Imaging is a timely resource for a rapidly advancing field, and addresses: Various methods of validating a new targeted probe through examples from human studies with imaging of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases Basic principles, disease models, imaging studies in animals, imaging in initial human studies, and the application of molecular imaging in pharmacy and drug discovery In vitro studies, small animal studies, and targeted radiopharmaceuticals Using these case studies, investigators can generalize and apply the information to their own specific targeted probe. The insights provided by the contributors, experts who have developed these approaches in their own groups, help guide scientists planning to translate imaging agents from the concept stage to clinical application.

Common factors that lead to treatment failure in head and neck cancer are the lack of tumour oxygenation, the accelerated division of cancer cells during treatment, and radioresistance. These tumour-related challenges and possible ways to overcome them are covered in this book, authored by three medical physicists and a clinical oncologist who explain how different radiobiological findings have led to the development of various treatment techniques for head and neck cancer. Novel treatment techniques as supported by current scientific evidence are comprehensively explored, as well as the major challenges that arise in the retreatment of patients who have already undergone a form of radiotherapy for primary head and neck cancer. Features: Uses an interdisciplinary approach, encompassing clinical aspects of radiotherapy, radiation biology, and medical physics Applies content by relating all radiobiological characteristics to their respective clinical implications Explains the radiobiological rationale for all previous and current clinical trials for head and neck cancer

Forensic imaging with multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and other cross-sectional imaging modalities is a rapidly evolving field. Understanding the pathological basis of disease and death is fundamental to the interpretation of radiologic images. Forming a bridge between these distinct disciplines, Essentials of Forensic Imaging: A Text-Atlas brings the long tradition of radiologic pathologic correlation to forensic radiology and autopsy. Providing readers with a technical and interpretive foundation for applying modern cross-sectional imaging to forensic autopsy, the book integrates more than 300 color autopsy photographs with postmortem MDCT and radiography in a topical format. Organized by cause of death, the rich pictorial display of case material that accompanies the text establishes a contextual understanding. Readers can learn the diagnostic value of imaging applied to forensic autopsy by correlating specific causes of death with their respective forensic and radiologic principles. Causes of death covered in this practical volume include: Gunshot wounds Blunt force injury Fire and burn injury Blast injury Drowning and other deaths in water Suicide Natural causes Asphyxia Electrocution As forensic imaging becomes more advanced, the possibilities for its use in autopsy continue to grow, as do the opportunities for application in related areas. In the final chapter, these expert authors also discuss the use of MDCT in the assessment of medical intervention, exhumation and second autopsy, and anthropology.