MSc Neuroimaging for Clinical & Cognitive Neuroscience / Course details

This course-unit leads on from the radioisotope imaging course-unit.  It covers the production and radiochemistry of PET tracers, instrumentation and image reconstruction, kinetic modelling and example applications.

The unit will give a comprehensive overview of PET methods and will be broadly organised into 4 areas:

Production and radiochemistry

• PET tracer design
• The use of radio-metals, long-lived isotopes and pre-targeting approaches
• Automation and the current status of automated radiosynthesis platforms

Instrumentation, data acquisition and image reconstruction

• PET instrumentation
• Data acquisition and data corrections
• Image reconstruction
• Properties of PET images
• PET image processing (registration, filtering, partial volume correction, SPM basics)

Kinetic modelling

• Blood data radioactivity measurement and the estimation of an input function (well counters, continuous blood measurements, radioHPLC)
• Image processing and segmentation
• Kinetic modelling methods (graphical methods such as Patlak/Logan, compartmental modelling, reference tissue methods)

Example applications and supplementary methods

• Neuroscience applications and head motion
• Preclinical and ex-vivo applications
• Oncology and tumour segmentation
• Use in drug development
• Use in charged particle beam therapy

The lectures will be supplemented by recommended text.

Students are required to have attended Mathematical Foundations of Imaging and Radioisotope Imaging in order to study this unit.

To provide the student with knowledge of the breadth and depth of what can be done using Positron Emission Tomography, building on knowledge gained as part of the radioisotope imaging module.

To provide a suitable depth of knowledge regarding PET methods that enables the student:

• to understand and appraise PET imaging literature and
• with others engage in the design and conduct of future PET imaging studies in a number of applications such as preclinical, neuroscience and oncology imaging.

The unit will consist of face-to-face lectures and group discussion with two project based assignments:

• a critical appraisal of selected PET publication with presentation
• the design and authoring of hypothetical PET protocol and data analysis plan

E-learning will be used where appropriate.

Formal summative assessments and real time educative formative assessments during practical classes.