Image processing laboratory

 

Description

As a modern PC pool, the image processing laboratory allows the computationally intensive analysis of medical images for research and education as well as the simulation of transport processes of high-energy particles of ionizing radiation and their application for radiation planning in medicine. This gives students in particular the opportunity to develop skills and abilities during their Bachelor's and Master's studies that are necessary for working as a medical physics expert in X-ray diagnostics, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy.

 

Image viewing and analysis workstation

TU Ilmenau
Figure 1: Overview of image analysis station
TU Ilmenau
Figure 2: DICOM-compliant display on the diagnostic monitor

Based on a medical database, the computer system can be used to directly access the images from the BMTI's own X-ray system. A DICOM-compliant view of different medical image modalities is possible using a medical viewing monitor and a medical findings monitor. This means that all images can be processed, measured and archived from a clinical point of view in the practical course for Bachelor students on X-ray image converters.

 

Radiation planning workstation

TU Ilmenau
Protection of a healthy cooking environment applied in practice. Figure 4: Comparison of the dose distribution of prostate irradiation for VMAT (left) and conventional 5-field technique (right)
TU Ilmenau
Figure 5: Typical dose-volume histogram as a result of treatment planning

Using a commercial system for radiation planning, students on the Radiological Technology and Radiation Protection elective module learn the basics of applying high-energy electron and photon radiation to tumor patients to accompany the "Technology of Radiotherapy" course. In cooperation with medical physicists from clinics and practices in the immediate vicinity, it is possible to discuss planning results and obtain information from a clinical perspective. The use of specialist terminology is practiced and criteria for comparing different radiation techniques are applied in practice while protecting the healthy focal environment as much as possible.

 

Monte Carlo simulation workstation

TU Ilmenau
Verification of local dosimetric measurements on a fluoroscopy device). Figure 6: Measurement results of the air ionization measurement chambers of a local dosimetric measurement of a fluoroscopy facility, indication of the equivalent dose rate in µSv/h
TU Ilmenau
Figure 7: Simulation results of the Monte Carlo simulation with 100 million particles of the geometry from Figure 6, indication of the dose equivalent rate in µSv/h, x- and y-axis in cm

As the performance of modern computers continues to increase, more and more computationally intensive applications are becoming possible. These now also include complex Monte Carlo simulations. Here, the life cycle of a large number of high-energy particles of ionizing radiation is observed in the interaction process with different matter. While calculations with moderate local resolution took days a few years ago, they now only take hours or minutes. This means that simulations with FLUKA or EGSNRC can now be successfully integrated into teaching and research. There is a separate experiment for simulating tumor patients, but it is now also possible to use it in the field of radiation protection calculations (see also the application for checking local dosimetric measurements on a fluoroscopy device).

 

Computer tomographic reconstruction workstation

TU Ilmenau
Figure 3: Comparison of dose requirement (relative in %) and image resolution of different computed tomography reconstruction methods

Based on the raw data from the experimental computer tomograph (CT, see X-ray laboratory), this system makes it possible to use software developed by students for the iterative reconstruction of slice images and to assess dependencies between dose requirements and image quality. In addition, a direct comparison can be made with the (still) CT gold standard, the filtered back projection. The system is used for computer-aided cross-sectional reconstruction in master's practical courses, among others.

 

3D visualization workstation

TU Ilmenau
Figure 9: 3D volume rendering view of a CT scan of the cervicothoracic region (lung window)
TU Ilmenau
Figure 8: 3D volume rendering view of a CT scan of the torso (kidney window)

To support the lecture content on image processing in medicine 2, a workstation specifically for 3D visualization of medical data is in use. Students use free research software to investigate factors influencing the ability to visualize relevant structures from tomographic images.