The molecular imaging masters programme offers specific mandatory courses, together 30 ECTS, in the field of biomedical imaging which are organized in the first and second semester.

• Principles of in vivo biomedical imaging, preclinical and clinical studies (6 ECTS) – 1^st sem
• Preclinical and clinical imaging with focus on neurology (6 ECTS)- 1^st sem
• Hands-on-(Micro)-MRI (3 ECTS) - 1^st sem
• Fundamentals of Signal and Image Processing (3ECTS) – 1^st sem
• Nuclear biomedical imaging, preclinical and clinical studies with focus on oncology (3 ECTS) – 2^nd sem
• Hands-on-(Micro)-PET (3 ECTS) - 2^nd sem
• Tracers, probes and reporters for microscopic molecular imaging (3ECTS) – 2^nd sem
• Advanced Signal and Image Processing (3 ECTS) – 2^nd sem

This course is offered by the Bioimaging Lab and the Antwerp University Hospital
Coordinator: Marleen Verhoye
Lecturers: Marleen Verhoye and Johan Van Goethem
ECTS: 6
 
Goal and content
The course discusses the physical principles, image reconstruction, clinical & preclinical applications of the different biomedical imaging modalities:

• Interaction of radiation with matter
• X-ray imaging and CT-scan: instrumentation,
• Interaction of X-radiation with matter and patients, possibilities of imaging, image reconstruction, artifacts
• Echography with ultrasound (US): instrumentation, interaction US wave with matter, possibilities of imaging (A,B,M-mode-real time), Doppler ultrasound
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging: instrumentation, origin of the MR signal, image contrast, image reconstruction
• Radionuclide imaging: scintigraphy, SPECT and PET, radioactivity and detectors

During the practical demonstrations (MRI,CT,US,PET), students will be introduced to the operation of the different imaging modalities being used for biomedical imaging and research on laboratory animals and patients.
 
Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA.
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; feed-back sessions; demonstrations.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment: oral examination after written preparation.
Literature: reader and handouts of the presentations.

This course is offered by the Bioimaging Lab and the Antwerp University Hospital
Coordinator: Marleen Verhoye
Lecturers: Marleen Verhoye, Paul Parizel and Annemie Van Der Linden
ECTS: 3

Goal and content
This course provides in depth hands-on training on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the different Neuroimaging modalities lectured in the course 'Neuroimaging, in preclinical and clinical studies'. The students will be able to perform MR and CT experiments. These practical sessions will provide insight and hands-on experience in acquiring MRI with different contrasts and understanding of the underlying physiological or anatomical mechanisms for each image contrast. Appropriate levels of attention will be devoted to the acquired physiological parameters which will be obtained using customized advanced image processing techniques.
UA and UZA can provide hands-on training on three experimental animal MRI systems (9.4 T scanner 20 cm bore, two 7T scanners 16 cm bore) and human MR scanners (1.5 T and 3 T), respectively.

• diffusion tensor MRI
• perfusion weighted MRI: bolus tracking and arterial spin labelling 
• MRI functional for braining functioning
• flow and MR angiography
• ultrafast MR imaging
• use of MR contrast agent
• MR spectroscopy
• Neuro-CT

Prerequisite knowledge: Neuroimaging, in preclinical and clinical studies. A specific prerequisite for this course is knowledge of neuroanatomy and neurophyisiology. 
Teaching method: hands-on.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment: continuous assessment during practical's and reports of practical.
Literature: hands-on for practical sessions.

This course is offered by Vision Lab  
Coordinator: Jan Sijbers
Lecturers: Jan Sijbers and Dirk Van Dyck
ECTS: 3
Goal and content
To impart knowledge and understanding of analysis of signals and systems when considered in the time and frequency domains, and to enable the student to formally analyse systems through the use of spectral analysis and correlations. The student will also be able to take account of the effects of sampling in the time and frequency domain and understand how these affect the practical analysis procedures. The student should gain a familiarity with the derivation of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm and with its computational advantages.
 
The objective of image processing part is to provide students with the basics of computational and mathematical methods in biomedical image processing. This includes the introduction of concepts for digital images, e.g. pixel, grey level, histogram, frame, etc. Next, linear filtering will be discussed, including smoothing, sharpening and edge detection. Finally, segmentation methods and morphological operators are introduced. 
Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA.
Basic mathematics (derivatives, integrals)
Basic knowledge on Fourier analysis
 
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; Matlab sessions.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment:

• oral examination after written preparation.
• Presentation of an article related to image processing
• Matlab task

Literature: reader and handouts of the presentations.

This course is offered by Molecular Imaging Lab Antwerp (MICA) 
Coordinator: Steven Staelens
Lecturers: Steven Staelens
ECTS: 3
 
Goal and content
The purpose is to prepare the student for a responsible function in biomedical imaging. In this way the student can make well-considered judgements about the state of biomedical imaging equipment. The student can also critically evaluate new instrumentation trends.
The student will get knowledge and insight into the physical principles in nuclear biomedical imaging and both its preclinical as clinical application fields. Special attention is given to quality assurance and performance measurements of the various imaging techniques. Hereby the instrumentation and the effects of ionizing radiation are respectively discussed. 

Nuclear medicine

• Principles of  and  image quality in SPECT
• Principles of and image quality in PET
• Preclinical small animal nuclear imaging
• Translational Clinical Applications
• Imaging techniques: integration (multimodal)

Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA. A specific prerequisite for this course is knowledge of Basic medical physics and Fundamentals of signal- and image processing
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; feed-back sessions.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment: oral examination after written preparation.
Literature: reader and handouts of the presentations.

This course is offered by Molecular Imaging Lab Antwerp (MICA)
Coordinator: Steven Staelens
Lecturers: Steven Staelens and Sigrid Stroobants
ECTS: 3

Goal and content
An overview on state-of-the-art microPET and microSPECT imaging thereby focusing on hands-on-training. Every student will have the opportunity to work with animals and the different imaging modalities. 

• animal handling: i.v./i.p. injection; tail vein catheter; anaesthesia; dissection
• microPET: static + dynamic scan; attenuation correction; respiratory/cardiac gating 
• microCT scan
• microSPECT
• multimodality studies
• autoradiography, biodistribution
• image analysis with: Inveon Research Workplace (IRW); PMOD (kinetic modelling); Amide

State-of-the-art unique equipment is at the disposal of the students for elaborate training. The goal of this course is to prepare students for work in molecular imaging context and to provide the student with applicable skills in a laboratory environment. 

Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA. A specific prerequisite for this course is knowledge of Basic medical physics.
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; demonstrations.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment: oral examination after written preparation, continuous assessment during practical's and demonstrations 
Literature: reader and handouts of the presentations.

This course is offered by the laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology  
Coordinator: Dirk Adriaensen
Lecturers: Dirk Adriaensen
ECTS: 3 
Goal and content
This course provides an overview of the enormous possibilities that result from the combination of modern cell and molecular biological techniques with state-of-the-art tracers and probes for molecular microscopic imaging, including fluorescence and bioluminescence reporter gene imaging:

• Labelling of bio-molecules (glucose analogs, amino acid analogs, antibodies, lectins, avidins …) and visualization (photon emission coupled to radiolabelling, fluorescence, bioluminescence …).
• Detection of nucleic acids (genomics) and proteins (proteomics).
• Probes for cytoskeleton, cell organelles, lipids & membranes, …
• Probes for endocytosis, receptors, ion channels, signal transduction.
• Probes for reactive oxygen species (ROS, NO); assays for cell function (viability, proliferation …).
• Indicators for ions (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^- …) & pH.
• Fluorescent cell tracers (membrane permeable, polar, lipophilic, dextrans, microsheres, protein conjugates …).
• Ultra sensitive detection methods (BLI, confocal 'live cell imaging’ …).
• Fluorescent protein (GFPs & other) & bioluminescence reporter gene imaging.

Competences aimed at are: 1. gaining insight in the different possibilities of these microscopic imaging techniques as in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro research tools for organisms, tissues and cells; 2. getting skilled in gathering information about state-of-the-art possibilities for detection, visualization and quantification of molecular processes, for any arbitrary application. 
 
Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA. Good basic knowledge of the characteristics of cells (cell biology) and tissues (histology).
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; feed-back presentations; hands on.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment: feed-back presentations; continuous assessment.
Literature: hand-outs of the presentations, course documents, websites..

This course is offered by Vision Lab 
Coordinator: Jan Sijbers
Lecturers: Jan Sijbers and Dirk Van Dyck
ECTS: 3
Goal and content
Providing deeper knowledge of theoretically demanding methods of image data processing and of their applications.

• Statistical signal processing: maximum likelihood estimation
• Advanced noise reduction (non local means, wavelets)
• Principle component analysis
• Image restoration by constrained deconvolution method. Method of maximum entropy.
• Radon transform and projection tomography, image reconstruction from projections. Algebraic iterative methods of reconstruction.
• Projection-slice theorem, reconstruction from projections via frequency domain. Image reconstruction by filtered back-projection. Generalisation of methods for fan-projections.
• Formalised image segmentation, texture analysis, prior-knowledge based segmentation.
• Object contour restoration, Hough transform.

Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA.
Knowledge of Fundamentals of basic signal and image processing.
 
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; feed-back sessions.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment:
oral examination after written preparation.
Matlab task
Article presentation & discussion
Literature: reader and hand-outs of the presentations.