Duration
Number of credits
| Master MSc. in Biomedical Engineering, professional focus | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Theoretical part:
- Introduction
- NMR signal
- Bloch equations
- Response to modulated B1+(t) RF pulses
- - Spectral response
- - Small tip angle approximation
- - Large tip angles
- - Effect of slice-selection gradient
- - Experimental calibration
- - MultiBand / Simultaneous Multi-Slice excitation
- Multi-dimensional encoding
- - Spatial encoding
- - Spectral encoding
- - Spatio-spectral encoding
- Pulse sequences
- Sources of contrast
- Applications
- Artefacts
- Instrumentation
- Safety aspects
- MRI system architecture and components, basic imaging session.
- Calibrations: B0 inhomogeneity, B1+ and B1- inhomogeneities, flip angle. Simple gradient echo and spin echo sequences.
- Standard structural imaging session, brain segmentation.
- Functional MR imaging session, fMRI time-series analysis.
- Diffusion-Weighted Imaging session and data processing.
- Quantitative Multi-Parameter-Mapping session and data processing. Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping.
- Spectroscopy session and data analysis.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end the student successfully attending this course should have acquired the knowledge enabling him or her to master numerous complex aspects necessary to build a deep understanding of and to conceive Magnetic Resonance Imaging protocols, not only those used in clinical routine but also those developed in research.
The course program aims to cover the competences expected in the MRI scanner manufacturing industry (R&D departments or advanced customer support), as well as in academic research fields using or developing advanced MRI techniques.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Background in physics and/or engineering, and thus some fluency with mathematical equations, signal sampling and processing, Fourier analysis...
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Lectures, practical sessions under supervision, used as context to varied practical problems and exercices.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Further information:
- In person lectures, room "Fluorine", B30 building (Sart Tilman).
- On Friday morning (except particular instructions, to be forwarded by e-mail).
- Practical sessions on research MRI scanners at B30 (3 Tesla, 7 Tesla).
- Possibly: visit of hospital MRI centre.
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- MyULiège
Further information:
A teachning syllabus is in preparation. Associated lecture notes will be progressively available.
Numerous literature references, books and web sites richly document the subject.
Notably:
- "Imagerie de résonance magnétique : bases physiques et méthodes" par Michel Décorps, 2011, CNRS Éditions (ISBN 978-2-271-07233-7) / EDP Sciences (ISBN 978-2-7598-0000-1).
- "Handbook of MRI Pulse Sequences" par M. A. Bernstein, K. F. King et X. J. Zhou, 2004, Elsevier Academic Press (ISBN 0-12-092861-2).
- https://www.imaios.com/en/e-mri / https://www.imaios.com/fr/e-mri
- https://www.mr-tip.com/serv1.php
- https://mriquestions.com/index.html
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam AND oral exam
Further information:
The student's understanding of the presented matter will be evaluated on basis of:
- A written examination.
- A written report summarizing a topic of interest agreed with the teacher.
- This report will later be presented orally, followed by related questions and oral questions covering the course matter.
Work placement(s)
Possibility to develop a Master thesis subject.
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
This new course is introduced this academic year.
Its content is still susceptible to evolve, notably to better reach the students' topics of choice.
Contacts
Laurent Lamalle
Phone: 0 4 366 2 366
e-Mail: Laurent.Lamalle at uliege.be