THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
BE 581 Medical Imaging
Spring 2015
Graduate Syllabus
Credit Hours: 3 units
Prerequisites/ Department consent: Math 221
Classroom: McCort-Ward 208
Days and hours of class meetings and labs or discussion sections
Tu 6:40pm-9:10pm
Instructor contact information: (same information for co-teachers or TAs)
Instructor: Christopher Raub, PhD, Assistant Professor, CUA
Pangborn Hall #121
(202)319-5095
raubc@cua.edu
Fridays from 1-2pm, or by appointment, or drop-in
TA: Santiago Correa, student, CUA
Pangborn Hall #111
(202)319-5095
66correa@cardinalmail.cua.edu
Tuesday 1-2pm
Course Description (from Cardinal Station http://cardinalstation.cua.edu)
Introduction to the physical principles, image reconstruction techniques, and
advanced digital processing techniques used in modern medical imaging systems.
Introduces common imaging modalities such as ultrasound, x-rays, computer-aided
tomography (CAT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission
tomography (PET). Discussion of advanced computer methods for 2-D and 3-D
image reconstruction as well as digital signal processing methods used in image
recognition and enhancement of medical images. Fundamentals of medical imaging.
Instructional Methods: Lectures, Demonstrations, Labs, and a Field Visit
Required Text

None required, but see below

Recommended Text
Title: Essential Physics of Medical Imaging, Author: Bushberg et al., Publisher: LWW, Edition:
3, ISBN: 978078178057.
Reading materials, web materials with full citations.
Handouts and reading materials will be available for download from: cua.blackboard.edu.
Other materials:
Demo equipment will be located in Pangborn Hall, in Departmental facilities.
Libraries
The CUA Libraries' wide range of resources and services, including databases, online journals,
and FAQs are on the main web site. For assistance on papers and assignments, consult the
research guides or schedule an appointment with a subject librarian.
Course Goals
To introduce students to a variety medical imaging techniques.
To provide a means for students to understand the physics and engineering principles behind
medical imaging.
To motivate students to become involved in bringing about future trends and advances in
medical imaging, or at least professionally aware of these trends.
To motivate students to innovate by understanding the power of medical imaging modalities
in the clinical setting to help patients.
Goals for Student Learning
At the conclusion of the course, the student will be able to understand the physics behind
the major medical imaging modalities, will be able to sketch instrument designs, manipulate
important image processing algorithms, understand the principles behind image-based diagnosis,
and identify the latest trends in medical imaging devices. Graduate students will have a
comprehensive knowledge base of medical imaging techniques, and will be able to solve
advanced problems in medical image processing and computational algorithms.
Professional Standards Addressed
This course addresses ABET Student Outcomes (a), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k)
Course Requirements
There will be three homework assignments, one presentation project, one midterm, and
one final exam.
Expectations and policies
Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is not merely avoiding plagiarism or cheating, but it
certainly includes those things. More than anything, having academic integrity means taking

responsibility for your work, your ideas, and your effort, and giving credit to others for their
work, ideas and effort. If you submit work that is not your own whether test answers, whole
papers or something in-between I have a responsibility to hold you accountable for that action.
I also have a responsibility to treat you with respect and dignity while doing so.
The following sanctions are presented in the University procedures related to Student Academic
Dishonesty:
The presumed sanction for undergraduate students for academic dishonesty will be failure for
the course. In the context of graduate studies, the expectations for academic honesty are greater,
and therefore the presumed sanction for dishonesty is likely to be more severe, e.g., expulsion.
...In the more unusual case, mitigating circumstances may exist that would warrant a lesser
sanction than the presumed sanction.
At times, I may ask you to do group work for an in-class presentation or group project. For that
specific assignment, you are allowed to share material, ideas and information; however, for any
related work that is to be submitted on an individual basis, I expect your submission to be your
own in its entirety.
For more information about what academic integrity means at CUA, including your
responsibilities and rights, visit http://integrity.cua.edu.
Accommodations for students with disabilities: Any student who feels s/he may need an
accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to
discuss specific needs. Please contact Disability Support (dss.cua.edu) to coordinate reasonable
accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Other Policies or Expectations: Attendance of each class is mandatory, unless extenuating
circumstances exist (please notify the instructor). Assignments will be due on blackboard, at the
beginning of the class period on the day they are due. Lack of attendance and/or timeliness
without written and approved explanation will result in a grade reduction of one letter grade. To
be courteous to classmates and the instructor, please do not engage in activity that could be
disruptive to the learning environment. Exams will occur during class periods. If you miss an
exam, you must let the instructor know IMMEDIATELY and schedule a time to take the test AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Academic Support Services
The universitys primary academic support resources are located on the 2nd floor of the Pryzbyla
Center. These affiliated offices and services include:
The Undergraduate Advising Center offers guidance to all undergraduates, especially
first-year students, as they move toward their academic goals.
Phone: (202) 319-5545 Email: cua-advising@cua.edu Web: advising.cua.edu
The Center for Academic Success provides academic support services for all students
through a broad base of programs and services, including Tutoring Services, Workshops,

Academic Coaching, Individual Skills Meetings, Peer Mentoring, and more.

Phone: (202) 319-5655 Email: cua-academicsuccess@cua.edu Web: success.cua.edu
The Writing Center provides free, one-on-one consultations with trained graduate
instructors for writing projects across all disciplines at any stage of the process, from
brainstorming to revising. Appointments in the main location, 202 Pryz, can be scheduled
in advance online (http://english.cua.edu/wc/). Drop-in appointments are also welcome
based on availability in the Pryz and at the satellite location in the Mullen Library Lobby
(see website for days and hours).
Phone: (202) 319-4286 Email: cua-writingcenter@cua.edu Web: english.cua.edu/wc/
The Math Center is staffed with Math Faculty and Tutors who are trained to assist
students struggling in areas ranging from the basics to complex problems in calculus and
statistics. Any student who feels he or she may need assistance in this or any other math
class is welcome to visit the Math Center in Pryz 204 Monday through Thursday between
the hours of 4:00 and 10:00pm. No appointment is necessary and services are absolutely
free.
Phone: (202) 319-5655 Email: cua-academicsuccess@cua.edu
Disability Support Services provides programs and services designed to support and
encourage the integration of students with disabilities into the mainstream of the
university community.
Phone: (202) 319-5211 Email: cua-disabilityservices@cua.edu Web: dss.cua.edu
The Counseling Center provides free individual and group counseling services,
psychiatric consultation, alternative testing, and emergency services to CUA students. In
addition, we provide consultation services and outreach programs to the CUA
community. Appointments can be scheduled in person in 127 OBoyle Hall, or by phone.
Phone: (202) 319-5765. Web: counseling.cua.edu
Assessment
HW 1
HW 2
HW 3
MIDTERM
PROJECT REPORT
FINAL

5%
5%
5%
25%
30%
30%

At any time you may calculate your grade using the following formula:
Grade = sum(normalized grade*percentage weight)
So for example,
A+ = 0.05(1)+0.05(1)+0.05(1)+0.25(1)+0.3(1)+0.3(1)
A score of 100% on an assignment/exam/report equals 1. 90% equals 0.9, etc.

University grades:
The University grading system is available at
http://policies.cua.edu/academicundergrad//gradesfull.cfm#II for undergraduates and
http://policies.cua.edu/academicgrad//gradesfull.cfm#iii for graduate students.
Reports of grades in courses are available at the end of each term on
http://cardinalstation.cua.edu .
Course Schedule
Date
Tu 1.13.15

Topic
Introduction

Tu 1.20.15
(1.23 last drop)
Tu 1.27.15

X-ray techniques HW 1

Tu 2.3.15

CT HW 2

Tu 2.10.15

CT

Tu 2.17.15

MRI HW 3

Tu 2.24.15
(2.27 last audit)
Tu 3.3.15

NO CLASS Monday meets

Tu 3.10.15

NO CLASS Spr. Recess

Tu 3.17.15

MIDTERM

Tu 3.24.15
(3.30 last P/F opt)
Tu 3.31.15 (4.1 last withdraw)

TBA; Hospital/Lab Tour?

Tu 4.7.15

Ultrasound

Tu 4.14.15

TBA; Hospital/Lab Tour?

Tu 4.21.15

Nuclear/PET/SPECT

Tu 4.28.15

Project Presentations

Tu 5.5.15

FINAL 5:45-7:45pm

Final Exam

X-ray techniques

MRI

Due

HW 1 DUE

HW 2 DUE

HW 3 DUE

Ultrasound

Project Presentations

Tuesday, May 5th, 5:45-7:45pm

The final exam must be given on the day and time assigned by the Registrar. Final examinations,
if required, must be administered in the final examination period. Please plan accordingly for
travel, work or appointments.
A student having an exam scheduling conflict such as:
1. two or more exams scheduled for the same time period
or
2. three or more exams scheduled for one day
must report to her/his school's Academic Dean's Office no later than fourteen calendar days
before the end of classes. The dean will assist the student in rescheduling the exam(s) for the
courses having the lowest enrollment(s). All make-up exams must be completed at the earliest
possible time during the final examination period.
Bibliography
http://www.aylward.org/notes/open-access-medical-image-repositories A list of medical image
databases
http://www.microscopyu.com/

All sorts of information about all sorts of microscopes

Pubmed.org: Searchable database of biomedical research publications.

Web of science: Searchable database of research publications.