Examination arrangement

Course content

The subject is an introduction to medical ultrasound imaging with the main purpose of providing knowledge of the basic principles of how an ultrasound machine works and how ultrasound images are constructed, key principles for achieving good image quality and the clinical use of medical ultrasound today. In addition, the course provides a thorough introduction to wave theory and how to theoretically describe and model image formation in ultrasound machines.

The main areas covered in the subject are:

• What are the most important clinical application areas for medical ultrasound today.
• Introduction to how an ultrasound machine works and how ultrasound images are formed.
• Basic introduction to how ultrasound probes work.
• Wave theory for one-dimensional and three-dimensional waves in tissue.
• Beamforming with arrays.
• Scattering, absorption, and attenuation of ultrasound waves in tissue.
• Imaging using the pulse-echo principle.
• Key principles for image quality.
• Reconstruction and display of ultrasound images.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

After completing the course, the student can:

• Explain how a medical ultrasound machine works and creates images.
• Describe the most important application areas for medical ultrasound imaging in today's society, be able to discuss the importance of these applications, as well as relate these to general development trends in the world.
• Describe basic principles for waves such as frequency, interference, transmission, reflection, diffraction, absorption, attenuation, and scattering of continuous waves and pulsed waves.
• Derive one-dimensional and three-dimensional wave equations and master several solution techniques for these.
• Know and be able to discuss the equations that describe the emitted ultrasound field from a surface and arrays.
• Calculate the focusing and steering equations of ultrasound beams from surfaces and arrays and be able to discuss what is important to achieve good focusing and steering of these.
• Model scattering of ultrasound and explain the wave equation including scattering and what the different terms describe, as well as explain and discuss the difference between specular and diffuse scattering.
• Discuss the pulse-echo equation and what is important to achieve good image quality.
• Explain what the point spread function is and discuss what it describes.
• Be able to reconstruct images and videos from data collected with an ultrasound machine.
• Know standard principles and techniques for ultrasound image presentation, compression of images, how to change dynamics and brightness in ultrasound images, and be able to discuss how this affects the analysis of such images.

Skills

After completing the course, the student has developed the following skills:

• Knowledge to explain the use of medical ultrasound in today's society, why this is important, and which social trends will affect this field in the years to come.
• Ability to describe key wave phenomena and a developed intuition for what waves are and how they can be used for ultrasound imaging.
• Know, be able to apply and analyze relevant theory for how to describe, model, and design image reconstruction with ultrasound machines.

General knowledge

After completing the course, the student has the following general competence:

• Basic knowledge to be able to work for companies or organizations that develop, use or perform research on medical ultrasound machines in today's society.
• Basic competence about wave theory and imaging with waves in medical ultrasound. This knowledge can be related to other methods of imaging such as Sonar, Radar, Magnetic Resonance (MR), X-ray, etc. This means that the knowledge developed in this subject is partially transferable and general for many types of imaging systems based on waves.

Learning methods and activities

Longitudinal teaching throughout the semester. Lectures, calculation exercises, demonstrations, and group assignment (computer required for this).

Calculation exercises with proposed solutions are made available throughout the semester for individual review by the students. These are not compulsory but form a good basis for mathematical exercises and understanding that are useful for the exam.

A group assignment (groups of 2-4 students depending on the number of students taking the course) will be carried out over 2 weeks, where the students will collect data with an ultrasound machine and make images and videos of these.

The course will be taught in English if international students sign up.

Further on evaluation

Grade is based on final written examination.

In the event of a retake of the exam, the written exam must be taken again.

In the event of a re-sit of the exam, it may be given as an oral examination and will be conducted in the spring semester.

The exam may be given only in English if international students sign up to the course.

Recommended previous knowledge

Mathematics 1-4, TFY4115 Physics, basic skills in signal processing (from e.g., IELET2110 - Signal processing, TTT4120 - Digital signal processing or TFY4280 - Signal analysis) or equivalent knowledge. Basic programming knowledge in Matlab or Python.

Course materials

Given at the start of the semester.

Credit reductions