The Physics of Three Dimensional Radiation Therapy presents a broad study of the use of three-dimensional techniques in radiation therapy. These techniques are used to specify the target volume precisely and deliver radiation with precision to minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The book discusses multimodality computed tomography, complex treatment planning software, advanced collimation techniques, proton radiotherapy, megavoltage imaging, and stereotactic radiosurgery. A review of the literature, numerous questions, and many illustrations make this book suitable for teaching a course. The themes covered in this book are developed and expanded in Webb's The Physics of Conformal Radiotherapy and the two may be used together or in successive semesters for teaching purposes.

The Topics Every Medical Physicist Should Know Tutorials in Radiotherapy Physics: Advanced Topics with Problems and Solutions covers selected advanced topics that are not thoroughly discussed in any of the standard medical physics texts. The book brings together material from a large variety of sources, avoiding the need for you to search through and digest the vast research literature. The topics are mathematically developed from first principles using consistent notation. Clear Derivations and In-Depth Explanations The book offers insight into the physics of electron acceleration in linear accelerators and presents an introduction to the study of proton therapy. It then describes the predominant method of clinical photon dose computation: convolution and superposition dose calculation algorithms. It also discusses the Boltzmann transport equation, a potentially fast and accurate method of dose calculation that is an alternative to the Monte Carlo method. This discussion considers Fermi Eyges theory, which is widely used for electron dose calculations. The book concludes with a step-by-step mathematical development of tumor control and normal tissue complication probability models. Each chapter includes problems with solutions given in the back of the book. Prepares You to Explore Cutting-Edge Research This guide provides you with the foundation to read review articles on the topics. It can be used for self-study, in graduate medical physics and physics residency programs, or in vendor training for linacs and treatment planning systems.

Based on hospital clinical trials examining the use of signal and image processing techniques, Surface Imaging for Biomedical Applications bridges the gap between engineers and clinicians. This text offers a thorough analysis of biomedical surface imaging to medical practitioners as it relates to the diagnosis, detection, and monitoring of skin conditions and disease. Written from an engineer's perspective, the book discusses image acquisition methods, image processing, and pattern recognition techniques. It focuses on a variety of techniques used in recent years for image processing and pattern recognition (principal component analysis, independent component analysis, singular value decomposition, texture modeling, inverse model analysis, polynomial surface fitting, and classification techniques), and considers interventional and non-invasive procedures used to diagnose skin-related disease. It examines the biological causation of four skin disorders (psoriasis, vitiligo, ulcer, and acne), provides basic terminologies in surface imaging, and details the outcome of various clinical observations and other research. It also details numerous measurement parameters related to surface imaging (body surface, skin color, tissue characteristic, thickness, roughness, volume of skin, and retinal changes). Discusses the development of a psoriasis severity measurement tool Provides material on assessing segmented repigmentation areas in vitiligo patients via VT-Scan Introduces a volume ulcer assessment using non-invasive 3D imaging Presents an automated system for acne grading that is based on capturing the images of various body parts using the DSLR camera Includes the MATLAB (R) codes for various pattern recognition techniques applied during the assessment/measurement at the end of each chapter This interdisciplinary reference highlights the importance of disease diagnosis and monitoring, and is suitable for medical practitioners, biomedical engineers, and core image processing researchers.

Written by internationally known experts in the field, Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy examines one of the fastest-developing subspecialties within radiation oncology. These procedures deliver large doses of radiation in one to five sessions to a precisely determined target. Often these techniques have proven to be as or more effective than traditional radiation therapy techniques, while at the same time being cost-efficient and convenient for the patient. These techniques, however, require careful planning, specialized equipment, and well-trained staff. This volume provides a cutting-edge look at the biological and technical underpinnings of SRS and SBRT techniques. It includes a history of the development of SRS and SBRT; clinical applications of the techniques; dedicated devices for delivering precisely shaped, high doses of radiation; use of in-room imaging for treatment planning and treatment guidance; immobilization techniques for accurate targeting; and future developments that will continue to evolve and refine existing techniques. A valuable introduction to those just learning about these specialized techniques, and an ideal reference for those who are already implementing them, this book covers a wide variety of topics, with clear discussions of each aspect of the technology employed.

Modern brachytherapy is one of the most important oncological treatment modalities requiring an integrated approach that utilizes new technologies, advanced clinical imaging facilities, and a thorough understanding of the radiobiological effects on different tissues, the principles of physics, dosimetry techniques and protocols, and clinical expertise. A complete overview of the field, Comprehensive Brachytherapy: Physical and Clinical Aspects is a landmark publication, presenting a detailed account of the underlying physics, design, and implementation of the techniques, along with practical guidance for practitioners. Bridging the gap between research and application, this single source brings together the technological basis, radiation dosimetry, quality assurance, and fundamentals of brachytherapy. In addition, it presents discussion of the most recent clinical practice in brachytherapy including prostate, gynecology, breast, and other clinical treatment sites. Along with exploring new clinical protocols, it discusses major advances in imaging, robotics, dosimetry, Monte Carlo-based dose calculation, and optimization.

The Topics Every Medical Physicist Should Know Tutorials in Radiotherapy Physics: Advanced Topics with Problems and Solutions covers selected advanced topics that are not thoroughly discussed in any of the standard medical physics texts. The book brings together material from a large variety of sources, avoiding the need for you to search through and digest the vast research literature. The topics are mathematically developed from first principles using consistent notation. Clear Derivations and In-Depth Explanations The book offers insight into the physics of electron acceleration in linear accelerators and presents an introduction to the study of proton therapy. It then describes the predominant method of clinical photon dose computation: convolution and superposition dose calculation algorithms. It also discusses the Boltzmann transport equation, a potentially fast and accurate method of dose calculation that is an alternative to the Monte Carlo method. This discussion considers Fermi-Eyges theory, which is widely used for electron dose calculations. The book concludes with a step-by-step mathematical development of tumor control and normal tissue complication probability models. Each chapter includes problems with solutions given in the back of the book. Prepares You to Explore Cutting-Edge Research This guide provides you with the foundation to read review articles on the topics. It can be used for self-study, in graduate medical physics and physics residency programs, or in vendor training for linacs and treatment planning systems.

Cardiovascular and Neurovascular Imaging: Physics and Technology explains the underlying physical and technical principles behind a range of cardiovascular and neurovascular imaging modalities, including radiography, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Examining this interdisciplinary branch of medical imaging from academic, clinical, and industrial perspectives, this comprehensive book: Covers each major imaging modality as well as special applications, time-resolved techniques, and image-guided therapies Discusses image quality and accuracy, radiation safety and dosimetry, and image formation and analysis Explores current and future trends in vascular imaging procedures and technologies Featuring chapters authored by field experts, Cardiovascular and Neurovascular Imaging: Physics and Technology combines the latest information on the physics and technology of cardiovascular and neurovascular imaging under one cover, providing students, professionals, and researchers with a single, state-of-the-art reference.

The Physiological Measurement Handbook presents an extensive range of topics that encompass the subject of measurement in all departments of medicine. The handbook describes the use of instruments and techniques for practical measurements required in medicine. It covers sensors, techniques, hardware, and software as well as information on processing systems, automatic data acquisition, reduction and analysis, and their incorporation for diagnosis. Suitable for both instrumentation designers and users, the handbook enables biomedical engineers, scientists, researchers, students, health care personnel, and those in the medical device industry to explore the different methods available for measuring a particular physiological variable. It helps readers select the most suitable method by comparing alternative methods and their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, the book provides equations for readers focused on discovering applications and solving diagnostic problems arising in medical fields not necessarily in their specialty. It also includes specialized information needed by readers who want to learn advanced applications of the subject, evaluative opinions, and possible areas for future study.

This book provides a balanced presentation of the fundamental principles of cardiovascular biomechanics research, as well as its valuable clinical applications. Pursuing an integrated approach at the interface of the life sciences, physics and engineering, it also includes extensive images to explain the concepts discussed. With a focus on explaining the underlying principles, this book examines the physiology and mechanics of circulation, mechanobiology and the biomechanics of different components of the cardiovascular system, in-vivo techniques, in-vitro techniques, and the medical applications of this research. Written for undergraduate and postgraduate students and including sample problems at the end of each chapter, this interdisciplinary text provides an essential introduction to the topic. It is also an ideal reference text for researchers and clinical practitioners, and will benefit a wide range of students and researchers including engineers, physicists, biologists and clinicians who are interested in the area of cardiovascular biomechanics.

Nonlinear dynamics has become an important field of research in recent years in many areas of the natural sciences. In particular, it has potential applications in biology and medicine; nonlinear data analysis has helped to detect the progress of cardiac disease, physiological disorders, for example episodes of epilepsy, and others. This book focuses on the current trends of research concerning the prediction of sudden cardiac death and the onset of epileptic seizures, using the nonlinear analysis based on ECG and EEG data. Topics covered include the analysis of cardiac models and neural models. The book is a collection of recent research papers by leading physicists, mathematicians, cardiologists and neurobiologists who are actively involved in using the concepts of nonlinear dynamics to explore the functional behaviours of heart and brain under normal and pathological conditions. This collection is intended for students in physics, mathematics and medical sciences, and researchers in interdisciplinary areas of physics and biology.

A rapidly growing field, vibrational spectroscopy has found applications in industries including pharmaceutical manufacture, food and drug safety, and process monitoring on production lines. In particular, interest in clinical spectroscopy is rising rapidly as researchers recognize the potential of the vibrational spectroscopic techniques-Infrared (IR) and Raman Spectroscopy-as noninvasive tissue diagnosis tools. However, the details of the characteristic peak frequencies and their relationship to specific functional groups present in the biological tissues have not been fully understood. Vibrational Spectroscopy for Tissue Analysis introduces IR and Raman Spectroscopy to those scientists who are either using these spectroscopic techniques to address clinical problems or planning to use spectroscopy to analyze clinical tissues and understand their chemical composition. By compiling the interpretations and understandings of the spectral peaks of the biological molecules in one place, this book aids in the understanding of IR and Raman Spectroscopy, and what these techniques can offer both in early diagnosis of the disease and monitoring of the progression of the disease. Despite the tremendous advances in the field of spectroscopy, where new applications are emerging at the pace of development, there are still areas of research that are crying for further exploration. This book bridges the gap between the spectroscopic research and medical applications.

"Light is a Messenger" is the first biography of William Lawrence Bragg, who was only 25 when he won the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics - the youngest person ever to win a Nobel Prize. It describes how Bragg discovered the use of X-rays to determine the arrangement of atoms in crystals and his pivotal role in developing this technique to the point that structures of the most complex molecules known to Man - the proteins and nucleic acids - could be solved. Although Bragg's Nobel Prize was for physics, his research profoundly affected chemistry and the new field of molecular biology, of which he became a founding figure. This book explains how these revolutionary scientific events occurred while Bragg struggled to emerge from the shadow of his father, Sir William Bragg, and amidst a career-long rivalry with the brilliant American chemist, Linus Pauling.

Analytical measurements at the single molecule level under ambient conditions have become almost routine in the past few years. The application of this technology to fundamental studies of heterogeneity in biomolecular structure and dynamics, chemical and biological reaction kinetics and photophysics provides a rich playground for molecular scientists. The potential use of single molecule detection for nanotechnology and quantum information processing is a new and almost unexplored area. This handbook is intended for those interested in a practical introduction to single molecule investigations using fluorescence techniques and places special emphasis on the practicalities of achieving single molecule resolution, analyzing the resulting data and exploration of the applications in biophysics. It is ideal for graduate research students and others embarking on work in this exciting field.

This book discusses fundamentally new biomedical imaging methods, such as holography, holographic and resonant interferometry, and speckle optics. It focuses on the development of holographic interference microscopy and its use in the study of phase objects such as nerve and muscle fibers subjected to the influence of laser radiation, magnetic fields, and hyperbaric conditions. The book shows how the myelin sheath and even the axon itself exhibit waveguide properties, enabling a fresh new look at the mechanisms of information transmission in the human body. The book presents theoretically and experimentally tested holographic and speckle-optical methods and devices used for investigating complex, diffusely scattering surfaces such as skin and muscle tissue. Additionally, it gives broad discussion of the authors' own original fundamental and applied research dedicated to helping physicians introduce new contact-less methods of diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular and neuromuscular systems into medical practice. The book is aimed at a broad spectrum of scientific specialists in the fields of speckle optics, holography, laser physics, morphology and cytochemistry, as well as medical professionals such as physiologists, neuropathologists, neurosurgeons, cardiologists and dentists.

Computational Biomechanics for Medicine: Solid and fluid mechanics for the benefit of patients contributions and papers from the MICCAI Computational Biomechanics for Medicine Workshop help in conjunction with Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention conference (MICCAI 2019) in Shenzhen, China. The content is dedicated to research in the field of methods and applications of computational biomechanics to medical image analysis, image-guided surgery, surgical simulation, surgical intervention planning, disease prognosis and diagnostics, analysis of injury mechanisms, implant and prostheses design, as well as artificial organ design and medical robotics. These proceedings appeal to researchers, students and professionals in the field.

In this book, the major paradigm-shifting discoveries made in the past century on key cellular nanomachines are described in great detail: their complex yet precise and elegant design and function, as well as the diseases linked to their dysfunction and the therapeutic approaches to overcome them. The major focus of this book is the "porosome" nanomachine, the universal secretory portal in cells. This is an ideal book for students, researchers, and professionals in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

This highly-readable account of the nature of the hazards presented by ionizing radiation and the methods of protection is an ideal introductory text for those new to the field, and for the non-specialist. The seventh edition continues to cover the technical principles underlying the control of radiation hazards, radiation detection and measurement and the biological effects of radiation, followed by a consideration of industry-specific radiation protection issues. Further specialised topics include risk assessment, waste management and decommissioning, radiological emergencies, relevant legislation and organizational issues and, new to this edition, environmental radiation protection.

This book serves as an introduction to cryocooler technology and describes the principle applications of cryocoolers across a broad range of fields. It covers the specific requirements of these applications, and describes how the advantages and disadvantages of different cryocooler systems are taken into consideration. For example, Stirling coolers tend to be used only in space applications because of their high coefficient of performance, low weight and proven reliability, whilst Gifford-McMahon coolers are used for ground applications, such as in cryopumps and MRI shield cooling applications. Joule-Thomson cryocoolers are used in missile technology because of the fast cool down requirements. The cryocooler field is fast developing and the number of applications are growing because of the increasing costs of the cryogens such as Helium and Neon. The first chapter of the book introduces the different types of cryocoolers, their classification, working principles, and their design aspects, and briefly mentions some of the applications of these systems. This introductory chapter is followed by a number of contributions from prominent international researchers, each describing a specific field of application, the cooling requirements and the cryocooler systems employed. These areas of application include gas liquefaction, space technology, medical science, dilution refrigerators, missile systems, and physics research including particle accelerators. Each chapter describes the cooling requirements based on the end use, the approximate cooling load calculations, the criteria for cryocooler selection, the arrangement for cryocooler placement, the connection of the cooler to the object to be cooled, and includes genuine case studies. Intended primarily for researchers working on cryocoolers, the book will also serve as an introduction to cryocooler technology for students, and a useful reference for those using cryocooler systems in any area of application.

This book describes the current state of knowledge in the field of multi-scale ECM mechanics and mechanobiology with a focus on experimental and modelling studies in biomechanical characterization, advanced optical microscopy and imaging, as well as computational modeling. This book also discusses the scale dependency of ECM mechanics, translation of mechanical forces from tissue to cellular level, and advances and challenges in improving our understanding of cellular mechanotransduction in the context of living tissues and organisms.

This book gathers the proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Electrical Bioimpedance (ICEBI 2019), held on June 9-14, in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The chapters cover the latest knowledge and developments concerning: sensors and instrumentation to measure bioimpendance, bioimpedance imaging techniques, theory and modeling and bioimpendance, as well as cutting-edge clinical applications of bioimpendance. All in all, this book provides graduate students and researchers with an extensive and timely snapshot of current research and challenges in the field of electrical bioimpendance, and a source of inspiration for future research and cross-disciplinary collaborations.

This book gathers the proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Nanotechnologies and Biomedical Engineering, held on September 18-21, 2019, in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. It continues the tradition of the previous conference proceedings, thus reporting on both fundamental and applied research at the interface between nanotechnologies and biomedical engineering. Topics include: developments in bio-micro/nanotechnologies and devices; biomedical signal processing; biomedical imaging; biomaterials for biomedical applications; biomimetics; bioinformatics and e-health, and advances in a number of related areas. The book offers a timely snapshot of cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research and developments in the field of biomedical and nano-engineering.

This book gives an overview of recent developments in RS and SERS for sensing and biosensing considering also limitations, possibilities and prospects of this technique. Raman scattering (RS) is a widely used vibrational technique providing highly specific molecular spectral patterns. A severe limitation for the application of this spectroscopic technique lies in the low cross section of RS. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy overcomes this problem by 6-11 orders of magnitude enhancement compared with the standard RS for molecules in the close vicinity of certain rough metal surfaces. Thus, SERS combines molecular fingerprint specificity with potential single-molecule sensitivity. Due to the recent development of new SERS-active substrates, labeling and derivatization chemistry as well as new instrumentations, SERS became a very promising tool for many varied applications, including bioanalytical studies and sensing. Both intrinsic and extrinsic SERS biosensing schemes have been employed to detect and identify small molecules, nucleic acids and proteins, and also for cellular and in vivo sensing.

This book presents the proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Radiation Safety & Security in Healthcare Services. The conference was held at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang on 19th-20th August 2017.

This book describes radionanomedicine as an integrated medicine using exogenous and endogenous This book describes radionanomedicine as an integrated approach that uses exogenous and endogenous nanomaterials for in vivo and human applications. It comprehensively explains radionanomedicine comprising nuclear and nanomedicine, demonstrating that it is more than radionanodrugs and that radionanomedicine also takes advantage of nuclear medicine using trace technology, in which miniscule amounts of materials and tracer kinetic elucidate in vivo biodistribution. It also discusses exogenous nanomaterials such as inorganic silica, iron oxide, upconversion nanoparticles and quantum dots or organic liposomes labelled with radioisotopes, and radionanomaterials used for targeted delivery and imaging for theranostic purposes. Further, it examines endogenous nanomaterials i.e. extracellular vesicles labelled with radioisotopes, known as radiolabelled extracellular vesicles, as well as positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), which elucidate the biodistribution and potential for therapeutic success.

This book examines non-invasive, electrical-based methods for disease diagnosis and assessment of heart function. In particular, a formalized signal model is proposed since this offers several advantages over methods that rely on measured data alone. By using a formalized representation, the parameters of the signal model can be easily manipulated and/or modified, thus providing mechanisms that allow researchers to reproduce and control such signals. In addition, having such a formalized signal model makes it possible to develop computer tools that can be used for manipulating and understanding how signal changes result from various heart conditions, as well as for generating input signals for experimenting with and evaluating the performance of e.g. signal extraction methods. The work focuses on bioelectrical information, particularly electrical bio-impedance (EBI). Once the EBI has been measured, the corresponding signals have to be modelled for analysis. This requires a structured approach in order to move from real measured data to the model of the corresponding signals. This book proposes a generic framework for this procedure. It can be used as a guide for modelling impedance cardiography (ICG) and impedance respirography (IRG) signals, as well as for developing the corresponding bio-impedance signal simulator (BISS).