Neurological applications of PET include using itto identify Alzheimer's Disease, including differentiating between other forms of Dementia, to show causes of seizures that were otherwise unclear, and to diagnose psychiatric disorders like Schizophrenia. Although other books on PET may have a chapter or section on neurological applications, this is the only comprehensive and up-to-date book on neurological PET. It reviews PET in neuroscience with particular emphasis on findings that indicate its potential for improving diagnosis and treatment in neurology and psychiatry. Improving the transfer of the huge scientific developments in brain PET into clinical carewill produce tangible human benefit. To this end, "NeuroPET" focuses on practical and potentially clinically relevant issues and identify solid ground as well as open questions. In addition, the book includes major chapters on the methodological background, including tracer physiology and kinetic modeling, and a comprehensive literature review."

Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart allows a quick and exact evaluation of global and regional pump function, regional myocardial wall motion, myocardial perfusion and coronary blood flow. Some of these parameters must also be analyzed under stress conditions to identify myocardial ischemia.

By combining these functional parameters with high-resolution anatomical images, which are even sufficient to depict the coronary arteries, magnetic resonance imaging has become one of the most important noninvasive procedures to study the condition of the heart and is being increasingly used in the clinical setting. Therefore, it is important not only to optimize and evaluate the technique in specialized centers, but also for a broad variety of users to become familiar with the wide range of applications for this method.

In this book, which is aimed at cardiologists, radiologists, and technical assistants, the physical fundamentals and scanning techniques are clearly described. In addition, practical guidelines for the anatomical planning of the examination and for patient care are offered. The accompanying CD-ROM contains additional figures and numerous videos.

From the essential background physics and radiobiology to the latest imaging and treatment modalities, the updated second edition of Handbook of Radiotherapy Physics: Theory & Practice covers all aspects of the subject. In Volume 1, Part A includes the Interaction of Radiation with Matter (charged particles and photons) and the Fundamentals of Dosimetry with an extensive section on small-field physics. Part B covers Radiobiology with increased emphasis on hypofractionation. Part C describes Equipment for Imaging and Therapy including MR-guided linear accelerators. Part D on Dose Measurement includes chapters on ionisation chambers, solid-state detectors, film and gels, as well as a detailed description and explanation of Codes of Practice for Reference Dose Determination including detector correction factors in small fields. Part E describes the properties of Clinical (external) Beams. The various methods (or 'algorithms') for Computing Doses in Patients irradiated by photon, electron and proton beams are described in Part F with increased emphasis on Monte-Carlo-based and grid-based deterministic algorithms. In Volume 2, Part G covers all aspects of Treatment Planning including CT-, MR- and Radionuclide-based patient imaging, Intensity-Modulated Photon Beams, Electron and Proton Beams, Stereotactic and Total Body Irradiation and the use of the dosimetric and radiobiological metrics TCP and NTCP for plan evaluation and optimisation. Quality Assurance fundamentals with application to equipment and processes are covered in Part H. Radionuclides, equipment and methods for Brachytherapy and Targeted Molecular Therapy are covered in Parts I and J, respectively. Finally, Part K is devoted to Radiation Protection of the public, staff and patients. Extensive tables of Physical Constants, Photon, Electron and Proton Interaction data, and typical Photon Beam and Radionuclide data are given in Part L. Edited by recognised authorities in the field, with individual chapters written by renowned specialists, this second edition of Handbook of Radiotherapy Physics provides the essential up-to-date theoretical and practical knowledge to deliver safe and effective radiotherapy. It will be of interest to clinical and research medical physicists, radiation oncologists, radiation technologists, PhD and Master's students.

The material in this volume was prepared and collected over the past four years with the growing realization that a technical revolution was in progress for diagnostic medicine. It became clear that for the wide variety of imaging instruments and methods finding their way into applications for research and clinical medicine, there was a scarcity of reference and text books for the scientist and engineer beginning in the field. Thus what began as a relatively small project for a single volume has grown into certainly two and probably three volumes to adequately cover the field. This first volume is expected to be followed within a few months by a second volume, dealing with diagnostic radiology, and within a year by a third volume, covering most other aspects of medicine that utilize spectra from the ultraviolet through the visible into the near-infrared. The chapters in this book are divided into three groups. The first group deals with nuclear medicine and includes Chapters 1-8. These chapters are arranged to begin with a broad introduction to the subject (Chapter 1) followed by a sequence of four chapters (Chapters 2-5) that provide an in-depth review of the imaging instrumentation developed for the field. Chapter 6 deals with "evaluation" of imaging device per formance, while Chapters 7 and 8 discuss two areas of considerable re search activity."

Color Theory and Modeling for Computer Graphics, Visualization, and Multimedia Applications deals with color vision and visual computing. This book provides an overview of the human visual system with an emphasis on color vision and perception. The book then goes on to discuss how human color vision and perception are applied in several applications using computer-generated displays, such as computer graphics and information and data visualization. Color Theory and Modeling for Computer Graphics, Visualization, and Multimedia Applications is suitable as a secondary text for a graduate-level course on computer graphics, computer imaging, or multimedia computing and as a reference for researchers and practitioners developing computer graphics and multimedia applications.

Gastroscopy, the endoscopic examination of the interior of the stomach, has finally come of age. Although beset with multiple difficulties, and slow to develop, the method has achieved a sudden flowering in the past 10 years found in few other types of examination of the living human. The advances, the results of great interest and perseverance by many workers in all parts of the world, have been based on the happy combination of these efforts and the rapidly changing manufacture of various instruments to visualize, photograph, and biopsy all parts of the stomach at will. So rapid have been these advances that it has been difficult even for those intimately involved to keep abreast of the changes. The general physician public is in consequence still in considerable ignorance of what is now endoscopically available for the diag nosis of gastric disease. Many interesting types of gastric pathology have been and are still being better defined by endoscopy, but its particular value lies in the diagnosis of malignant neo plasia of the stomach. Whereas in the immediate past it was necessary to restrict examination to roentgenograms, at best an indirect means, it is now possible to visualize lesions, photograph them in color, and biopsy all suspicious areas with great accuracy. A visual and histologic diagnosis of cancer of the stomach may be made in well-equipped institutions in an hour or less.

Optical Polarization in Biomedical Applications introduces key developments in optical polarization methods for quantitative studies of tissues, while presenting the theory of polarization transfer in a random medium as a basis for the quantitative description of polarized light interaction with tissues. This theory uses the modified transfer equation for Stokes parameters and predicts the polarization structure of multiple scattered optical fields. The backscattering polarization matrices (Jones matrix and Mueller matrix) important for noninvasive medical diagnostic are introduced. The text also describes a number of diagnostic techniques such as CW polarization imaging and spectroscopy, polarization microscopy and cytometry. As a new tool for medical diagnosis, optical coherent polarization tomography is analyzed. The monograph also covers a range of biomedical applications, among them cataract and glaucoma diagnostics, glucose sensing, and the detection of bacteria.

The series of workshops sponsored by the European Communities started with "Methodology of PET" at Hammersmith Hospital, London, in March 1984. This was followed by "Radiochemistry, Methodology and Standardization in PET" at the Service Hospitalier Frederic Joliot in Orsay, France, in March 1985. Both these meetings were, in the opinion of all participants, great successes, and it was agreed that such work shops should continue and be organized on the same basis. After these two workshops on the fundamentals of PET, time now is ripe to evaluate the clinical efficacy of PET investigations, and to discuss to what extend the information provided by this high technology and theoretical area has contributed to the understanding of disease mechanisms, leading to immediate clinical applications. As pointed out in the previous meetings, PET using short-lived radioisotopes produced in an on-line cyclotron is restricted to a few centers. Therefore, the topics studied so far were mainly of scientific interest and clinical problems were dealt with only marginally. Before this costly technique can be spread and new information made accessible to a broader clinical clientele, its clinical value must be demonstrat ed. So far, in the majority of studies, the central nervous system was the primary target organ, and PET has contributed a great deal to our understanding of brain physiology and pathology. Also on the heart, a substantial number of studies have been performed in various centers, but the application of PET to this organ is still somewhat limited."

The book is designed for end users in the field of digital imaging, who wish to update their skills and understanding with the latest techniques in image analysis. The book emphasizes the conceptual framework of image analysis and the effective use of image processing tools. It uses applications in a variety of fields to demonstrate and consolidate both specific and general concepts, and to build intuition, insight and understanding. Although the chapters are essentially self-contained they reference other chapters to form an integrated whole. Each chapter employs a pedagogical approach to ensure conceptual learning before introducing specific techniques and "tricks of the trade". The book concentrates on a number of current research applications, and will present a detailed approach to each while emphasizing the applicability of techniques to other problems. The field of topics is wide, ranging from compressive (non-uniform) sampling in MRI, through automated retinal vessel analysis to 3-D ultrasound imaging and more. The book is amply illustrated with figures and applicable medical images. The reader will learn the techniques which experts in the field are currently employing and testing to solve particular research problems, and how they may be applied to other problems.

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging is one of several new experimental tech niques which have rec{, tly been applied to food systems. NMR in general and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging are powerful probes of the microscopic and macroscopic changes occurring in foods during processing, storage and utilization. The training that food scientists and food engineers have received in the past has often omitted specific courses in physical chemistry that form the theoretical and practical foundation necessary to fully utilized magnetic resonance experimental techniques. The goal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Foods is to introduce food scien tists and food engineers to magnetic resonance imaging and provide a basis for further study. As such the book begins with two chapters of an introductory nature. The first chapter introduces magnetic resonance phenomena, NMR in general, and MRI in detail. Particular emphasis is given to the limitations and typical ranges available for studying particular phenomena, for example, the range of diffusivities that can be studied using commercial grade NMR equipment. Chapter 2 gives a brief introduction to the classical physical model of NMR first introduced by Felix Bloch in 1946 and aspects important to the interpretation of MRI data. This chapter is provided for the researchers and students interested in more details of the basic theory. Chapter 2 can be skipped by those individuals not requiring more information on the basic theory of NMR. The next several chapters of the book are on applications of MRI to food systems."

Epilepsy surgery is defined as any neurosurgical intervention whose pri- mary objective is to relieve medically intractable epilepsy (European Fed- eration of Neurological Societies Task Force 2000). The aim of epilepsy surgery is to reduce the number and intensity of seizures, minimise neuro- logical morbidity and antiepileptic drug (AED) toxicity, and improve quality of life. By definition, epilepsy surgery does not include normal surgical treatment of intracranial lesions where the primary goal is to di- agnose and possibly remove the pathological target, often an advancing tumour. In these patients, epileptic seizures are only one symptom of the lesion and will be treated concomitantly as part of the procedure. Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is recognised as the most common type of refractory, focal epilepsy. In one third of all cases the neuronal systems responsible for the seizures that characterise this form of epilepsy fail to respond to currently available AEDs (Andermann F 2002). New imaging methods, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), identify localising abnormalities in an increasing proportion of patients with intractable focal epilepsy. Consequently, the accuracy of the preoperative diagnostic pro- cedures has been significantly improved during the last decade; and suit- able candidates for surgery can be selected more reliably. Currently the main resources in most epilepsy surgery centres have been used to evaluate candidates for TLE surgery.

This brief provides an in-depth overview of the physics of hadron therapy, ranging from the history to the latest contributions to the subject. It covers the mechanisms of protons and carbon ions at the molecular level (DNA breaks and proteins 53BP1 and RPA), the physics and mathematics of accelerators (Cyclotron and Synchrotron), microdosimetry measurements (with new results so far achieved), and Monte Carlo simulations in hadron therapy using FLUKA (CERN) and MCHIT (FIAS) software. The text also includes information about proton therapy centers and carbon ion centers (PTCOG), as well as a comparison and discussion of both techniques in treatment planning and radiation monitoring. This brief is suitable for newcomers to medical physics as well as seasoned specialists in radiation oncology.

The book provides a comprehensive view of pattern recognition concepts and methods, illustrated with real-life applications in several areas. A CD-ROM offered with the book includes datasets and software tools, making it easier to follow in a hands-on fashion, right from the start.

We are pleased to present this second volume of a series that has already received much interest. The application of magnetic resonance methods to the study of actual biological systems as contrasted to cell-free samples, although not entirely novel, as demonstrated by Civan and Shporer in Volume I, has taken on new dimensions with the use of phosphorus-31 and carbon-13 NMR in studying cells, tissues, and organelles. The applications of 31 P NMR to such systems is reviewed in this volume, while carbon-13 will be covered in a later one. The use of nitroxide spin labels has grown to the point where it now may be considered a common biological technique. The synthesis and applications of a new class of nitroxides is described in this volume. ESR spectroscopy of paramagnetic ions is a powerful approach to studying molecular and structural details, as the chapter by Boas, Pilbrow, and Smith on the ESR of copper in Volume 1 has shown. In this volume the ESR of molybdenum and iron is treated in a comparable fashion. In the first volume some aspects of 1 H NMR spectroscopy of certain classes of In this volume the high-resolu biological macromolecules were discussed.. tion multinuclear NMR spectra of peptides, including the physiologically significant peptide hormones, are reviewed."

The seventh annual multidisciplinary symposium on clinical oncology organised by the Royal College of Radiologists discussed the subject of malignant brain tumours. It was held in London in February 1985 and this volume collects together the edited texts of the papers which were presented at the meeting. Primary tumours of the central nervous system account for about 9070 of all malignant diseases but as much as 20% of all paediatric neoplasms. The prognosis ranges from excellent for some of the less aggressive tumours, through good for children's tumours such as medulloblastoma, to appalling for the high-grade adult astrocytomas. Improvements in pathological diagnosis and surgical and radiothera peutic techniques have led to considerable sequential improvements in outcome over those obtained in the past. In contrast the response to chemotherapy over the whole range of tumours remains disappoint ing, and clearly awaits new drugs and methods of delivery. The relative rarity of individual types of tumours, apart from the commoner high-grade adult astrocytomas, has made progress in terms of clinical trials difficult to organise. In spite of this much investigative work is in progress. The symposium, and the present volume, were designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the subject by experts, with an emphasis on the possible routes to future progress. The topics included aspects of pathology, imaging, diagno sis and treatment of both the common and uncommon primary tumours. It is hoped the papers will stimulate further interest and activity in this difficult area of clinical therapy and investigation."

Hyperthennia is rapidly becaning the fourth IIDdality of cancer treatment, at least a useful adjuvant to radiation therapy, chEfiO therapy or surgery; at best, a new therapeutic fonn that, properly used, may open new horizons in the fight against this dreadful disease. The staging is still primitive. The devices used are after laboratory irrprovisations, and lack the precision and definition of treatment fields that will allow mass use of the m: Xiality. Clinical practices are limited to the procedural evaluations of a few pioneer groups, and basic understanding of its mechanism of action, although progressing by leaps and bounds, is still short of perfection. The challenge and the pranise are there and because of this, p engineers, physicists, biologists, physiologists and clinicians fran different specialties have a basic need for interaction, both in tenus of exchange of scientific infonnation and peer review of results and clinical trials. To satisfy this need, to act as a clearinghouse of knowledge and a fonnn for discussion, the North Alrerican Hyperthennia Group (NAHG) has been fonned. The reeting in Detroit in August 1981 represents the first gathering of the group, to be followed by a second in Salt Lake City in April 1982."

2 ence of a wave zone or induction zone under industrial and exper- imental conditions determines the physical values used to assess the intensity of irradiation (the power flux density or the field in- tensity), the instruments used for measuring, and the experimental technique (irradiation from a distant source, in a cavity resonator, inductor, capacitor, and so on). The physical parameters eVidently also determine the biolog- ical effects of the different frequency bands. In recent decades various bands of radio waves have been extensively used in many branches of industry. The microwave band has been widely applied in the field of radar, radionavigation, radioastronomy, radiometeorology, radiocommunication, nuclear physics, and physiotherapy. The short-wave and ultrashort-wave band are used for physiotherapy, radiocommunication, broadcast- ing, television, and also for the heat treatment of dielectrics and for welding plasticized rubber. The long and medium waves are used for the heat treatment of metals in the vacuum-tube industry and in mechanical engineering.

In Vivo EPR (ESR) is a textbook on this relatively new subject in biomedical electron spin resonance. While a few chapters have appeared in special topics volumes in this series, this book covers the principles and theory, instrumentation as well as the latest applications at the time of its writing. The authors are world-renowned experts and pioneers in their fields. This book is divided into two major sections dealing with theory and instrumentation, and aspects of biochemistry, in vitro and in vivo applications. A significant amount of detail is devoted to clinical applications and the problems and pitfalls encountered in in vivo spectroscopy and imaging.
Key Features:

-History of In Vivo EPR,
-Principles of Imaging-Theory and Instrumentation,
-Time-domain Radio Frequency EPR Imaging,
-The Measurement of Oxygen In Vivo Using In Vivo EPR Techniques,
-Potential Medical (Clinical) Applications of EPR,
-Combining NMR and EPR/ESR for In Vivo Experiments.

This book contains extended versions of papers presented at the international Conference VIPIMAGE 2009 - ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Vision and Medical Image, that was held at Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Portugal, from 14th to 16th of October 2009. This conference was the second ECCOMAS thematic conference on computational vision and medical image processing. It covered topics related to image processing and analysis, medical imaging and computational modelling and simulation, considering their multidisciplinary nature. The book collects the state-of-the-art research, methods and new trends on the subject of computational vision and medical image processing contributing to the development of these knowledge areas.

Optical microscopy and associated technologies have advanced rapidly along with laser technology. These techniques have stimulated further development of the optical imaging theory, including 3-dimensional microscopy imaging theory, the theory of imaging with ultrashort pulsed beam illumination and the aberration theory for high numerical-aperture objectives. This book introduces these new theories in modern optical microscopy, providing comparisons with classical imaging as appropriate.

Immunofluorescence, a suitable laboratory method for the microscopic demonstration of antigens and antibodies in biological materials, useable, for example, to provide evidence for the pathogenesis of disease in histological or cytological preparations and for tumour cell differentiation. For this reason immunofluorescence has a decisive role as the method of choice for the diagnosis of auto-immune diseases. This primer on immunofluorescence techniques, which first appeared in 1979, is a richly illustrated handbook suitable for everyday practical work in the laboratory, useable as both an introduction to the subject as well as an atlas. In hardly any other area of medicine are there so many new findings to report. The second edition of this book is concerned not only with the detection methods which now form an essential and established part of diagnostic techniques, but also with the most recent research results such as the discovery of antibodies against Auerbach's plexus and against podocytes...

Written by world-renowned experts in COPD A refresher for GPs and hospital doctors with practical diagnostic and treatment advice Reviews clinical developments and guidelines, and places them into everyday clinical practice Stresses the importance of early intervention, therapies and patient education Managing COPD is an in-depth guide on the management of patients with COPD concentrating on the impact of COPD on a patient as well as how healthcare professionals can intervene and educate the patient at an early stage and thereby slow the onset of severe symptoms. This book has been designed to increase physician awareness of the pathological processes involved in the aetiology of COPD which underpins effective disease management.

We have entered an exciting period in the study of multiple sclerosis and its treatment. Central to this progress has been the introduction of magnetic reso nance techniques. When Young and his colleagues published the first images of the brain in multiple sclerosis at the end of 1981, it was at once obvious that magnetic resonance imaging would playa major role in diagnosis. Intuitively one felt that it would also have a role in increasing our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease and in monitoring treatment. And so it has proved. Important problems however remain, perhaps the most important of which at present is the weak predictive power of standard magnetic resonance ima ging methods in determining the possibility of progression of impairment and disability. Recently, there have been advances which promise to overcome some of these problems, but decisions about what approach to adopt in selecting patients for clinical trials and which techniques to use in monitoring treatment during their course are still difficult. In this book, Dr. Filippi and his colleagues have assembled an outstanding group of contributors whose work is central to the progress that is being made. The coverage of the issues involved in the use of magnetic resonance techniques in assessing therapeutic effect is comprehensive and, though the field is chan ging rapidly, the principles and much of the detail in the book are likely to have lasting value."

Since Locher first suggested Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) in 1936, this theoretically ideal system has intrigued investigators. Unfortunately, the first clinical trials between 1951-1961 were not successful. However, they served to implant firmly the seed of BNCT, the growth of which has been carefully nurtured at a number of locations world-wide. This fact is attested to by the ongoing clinical trials in Japan as well as by the presence of researchers from active groups in the ten countries represented at this Workshop. In 1983 and 1985, the first and second international biannual symposia on BNCT were held, in response to a resurgence of interest in this field. In 1986, the DOE sponsored a workshop on NCT, in large part directed toward evaluating the national effort and the various neutron sources available within the United States. It now seems likely, because of various factors including improved neutron beams and boron delivery systems which have made the modality more attractive, that clinical trials will be initiated in the United States within the next few years. This 1988 special workshop, interspersed between the biannual international symposia, represents an effort to seek ideas and advice on the clinical a pects of BNCT, from all those diverse groups with a national commitment to this project. Our purpose is to facilitate our endeavor to incorporate the best procedures and techniques in the upcoming clinical trials.

MRI is assuming a dominant role in imaging of the larynx. Its superior soft tissue contrast resolution makes it ideal for differentiating invasion of tumors of the larynx from normal or more sharply circumscribed configuration of most of the benign lesions. Over ten years ago CT made a major impact on laryngeal examination because it was the first time that Radiologists were beginning to look at submucosal disease. All of the previous examinations duplicated the infor mation that was available to the clinician via direct and in-direct laryngo scopy. With the advent of rigid and flexible endoscopes, clinical examination became sufficiently precise that there was little need to perform studies such as laryngography which merely showed surface anatomy. The status of deep structures by these techniques was implied based on function. Fortunately laryngography is now behind us together with all of the gagging and contrast reactions which we would all like to forget. CT is still an excellent method of examining the larynx but it is unfortunately limited to the axial plane. With presently available CT techniques motion deteriorates any reformatting in sagittal or coronal projections. The latter two planes are extremely helpful in delineating the vertical extent of submucosal spreads. MRI has proven extremely valuable by producing all three basic projections, plus superior soft tissue contrast. Although motion artifacts still degrade the images in some patients, newer pulsing sequences that permit faster scanning are elimi nating most of these problems."