Alessandra Caner - Böcker

The Nato Advanced Study Institute ASI 981171 was organised at the European Scientific Institute of Archamps (ESI , Archamps France) from October 26 to November 8, 2005. Everyy ear in autumn ESI organises the European School of Medical Physics, which covers a large spectrum of topics, ranging from Medical Imaging to Radiotherapy, over a period of five weeks. Thanks to the Cooperative Science and Technologys ub programme of th e NATO Science Division, the first two weeks were replaced this year by the ASI course dedicated to “Optimising Detectors, Imaging & Computing Technologies from Nuclear Physics in General to Secur ity Applications”. This allowed the participation of experts and students fr om 20 different countries, with diverse cultural background and professional experience (Africa, America, Asia, and Europe). A further positive outcome of NATO ASI participation is the publication of this book, which contains the lectures series contributed by speakers during the ASI weeks. We hope it will be a reference book in Medical Imaging, addressing an audience of young medical physicists everywhere in the world, who are wishing to review the physics foundations of the relevant technologies, catch up with the state of the art and look ahead into future developments in their field. The ASI course was structured in two pa rts, defined by the use or absence of ionising radiation in the medical imaging techniques of interest.

The Nato Advanced Study Institute ASI 981171 was organised at the European Scientific Institute of Archamps (ESI , Archamps France) from October 26 to November 8, 2005. Everyy ear in autumn ESI organises the European School of Medical Physics, which covers a large spectrum of topics, ranging from Medical Imaging to Radiotherapy, over a period of five weeks. Thanks to the Cooperative Science and Technologys ub programme of th e NATO Science Division, the first two weeks were replaced this year by the ASI course dedicated to “Optimising Detectors, Imaging & Computing Technologies from Nuclear Physics in General to Secur ity Applications”. This allowed the participation of experts and students fr om 20 different countries, with diverse cultural background and professional experience (Africa, America, Asia, and Europe). A further positive outcome of NATO ASI participation is the publication of this book, which contains the lectures series contributed by speakers during the ASI weeks. We hope it will be a reference book in Medical Imaging, addressing an audience of young medical physicists everywhere in the world, who are wishing to review the physics foundations of the relevant technologies, catch up with the state of the art and look ahead into future developments in their field. The ASI course was structured in two pa rts, defined by the use or absence of ionising radiation in the medical imaging techniques of interest.

This book reports the majority of lectures given during the NATO Advanced Study Institute ASI-982440, which was held at the European Scienti?c Institute of Archamps (ESI, Archamps – France) from November 9 to November 21, 2006. The ASI course was structured in two parts, the ?rst was dedicated to individual imaging techniques while the second is the object of this volume and focused on data modelling and processing and on image archiving and distribution. Courses devoted to nuclear medicine and digital imaging techniques are collected in a c- plementary volume of NATO Science Series entitled “Physics for Medical Imaging Applications” (ISBN 978-1-4020-5650-5). Every year in autumn ESI organises the European School of Medical Physics, which covers a large spectrum of topics ranging from Medical Imaging to Rad- therapy, over a period of ?ve weeks. Thanks to the Cooperative Science and Te- nology sub-programme of the NATO Science Division, weeks two and three were replaced this year by the ASI course dedicated to “Molecular Imaging from Physical Principles to Computer Reconstruction and Practice”. This allowed the participation ofexpertsandstudentsfrom20differentcountries,withdiverseculturalbackground and professional experience (Africa, America, Asia, and Europe). A further positive outcome of NATO ASI participation is the publication of this book, which contains the lectures series contributed by speakers during the second week of the ASI.

This book reports the majority of lectures given during the NATO Advanced Study Institute ASI-982440, which was held at the European Scienti?c Institute of Archamps (ESI, Archamps – France) from November 9 to November 21, 2006. The ASI course was structured in two parts, the ?rst was dedicated to individual imaging techniques while the second is the object of this volume and focused on data modelling and processing and on image archiving and distribution. Courses devoted to nuclear medicine and digital imaging techniques are collected in a c- plementary volume of NATO Science Series entitled “Physics for Medical Imaging Applications” (ISBN 978-1-4020-5650-5). Every year in autumn ESI organises the European School of Medical Physics, which covers a large spectrum of topics ranging from Medical Imaging to Rad- therapy, over a period of ?ve weeks. Thanks to the Cooperative Science and Te- nology sub-programme of the NATO Science Division, weeks two and three were replaced this year by the ASI course dedicated to “Molecular Imaging from Physical Principles to Computer Reconstruction and Practice”. This allowed the participation ofexpertsandstudentsfrom20differentcountries,withdiverseculturalbackground and professional experience (Africa, America, Asia, and Europe). A further positive outcome of NATO ASI participation is the publication of this book, which contains the lectures series contributed by speakers during the second week of the ASI.

This book reports the majority of lectures given during the NATO Advanced Study Institute ASI-982996, which was held at the European Scientific Institute of Archamps (ESI, Archamps – France) from November 15 to November 27, 2007. The ASI course was structured in two parts: the first was dedicated to what is often called “teletherapy”, i. e. radiotherapy with external beams, while the second focused on internal radiotherapy, also called “brachytherapy” or “curietherapy” in honour of Madame Curie who initiated the technique about a century ago. This ASI took place after the European School of Medical Physics, which devoted a 3 week period to medical imaging, a subject complementary to the topics of this book. Courses devoted to nuclear medicine and digital imaging techniques are collected in two volumes of the NATO Science Series entitled “Physics for Medical Imaging Applications” (ISBN 978-1-4020-5650-5) and “Molecular imaging: computer reconstruction and practice” (ISBN 978-1-4020- 8751-6). Every year in autumn ESI organises the European School of Medical Physics, which covers a large spectrum of topics ranging from Medical Imaging to Radiotherapy, over a period of 5 weeks. Thanks to the Cooperative Science and Technology sub-programme of the NATO Science Division, weeks four and five were replaced this year by the ASI course dedicated to “Physics of Modern Radiotherapy & Brachytherapy”. This allowed the participation of experts and students from 20 different countries, with diverse cultural background and p- fessional experience.

This book reports the majority of lectures given during the NATO Advanced Study Institute ASI-982996, which was held at the European Scientific Institute of Archamps (ESI, Archamps – France) from November 15 to November 27, 2007. The ASI course was structured in two parts: the first was dedicated to what is often called “teletherapy”, i. e. radiotherapy with external beams, while the second focused on internal radiotherapy, also called “brachytherapy” or “curietherapy” in honour of Madame Curie who initiated the technique about a century ago. This ASI took place after the European School of Medical Physics, which devoted a 3 week period to medical imaging, a subject complementary to the topics of this book. Courses devoted to nuclear medicine and digital imaging techniques are collected in two volumes of the NATO Science Series entitled “Physics for Medical Imaging Applications” (ISBN 978-1-4020-5650-5) and “Molecular imaging: computer reconstruction and practice” (ISBN 978-1-4020- 8751-6). Every year in autumn ESI organises the European School of Medical Physics, which covers a large spectrum of topics ranging from Medical Imaging to Radiotherapy, over a period of 5 weeks. Thanks to the Cooperative Science and Technology sub-programme of the NATO Science Division, weeks four and five were replaced this year by the ASI course dedicated to “Physics of Modern Radiotherapy & Brachytherapy”. This allowed the participation of experts and students from 20 different countries, with diverse cultural background and p- fessional experience.

This book introduces the fundamental aspects of Radiation Protection in Medical Physics and covers three main themes: General Radiation Protection Principles; Radiobiology Principles; Radiation Protection in Hospital Medical Physics. Each of these topics is developed by analysing the underlying physics principles and their implementation, quality and safety aspects, clinical performance and recent advances in the field. Some issues specific to the individual techniques are also treated, e.g. calculation of patient dose as well as that of workers in hospital, optimisation of equipment used, shielding design of radiation facilities, radiation in oncology such as use of brachytherapy in gynecology or interventional procedures. All topics are presented with didactical language and style, making this book an appropriate reference for students and professionals seeking a comprehensive introduction to the field as well as a reliable overview of the most recent developments.