Clinical trials are the essential mechanism through which new medical imaging devices and methods are tested. However, with the growing number of such medical solution, clinical trials are proven to be too slow and too costly. Computational resources and modeling technologies have brought us to a place that we can consider computational alternatives to clinical trials: virtual trials where the trial take place in silico. This course provides an essential introduction to virtual clinical trials, focused primarily on imaging. Topics covered include models of human anatomy and physiology, models of imaging processes primarily CT and breast imaging, models of interpretation processes, standardization of the VCT pipeline, and regulatory prospects of VCT. The course will include applications of VCT in designing and affirming new medical imaging equipment and methods, the use VCT data for prototyping and/or complementing the conduct of real clinical trials, and near-hands-on experience in conducting a few example mini-trials as a part of the class.

This course provides a foundation of knowledge in radiation dosimetry for scientists and engineers who need to work with dosimetric quantities. Topics to be covered include: a review of the medical uses of ionizing radiation; the basics of radiation biology, including the bioeffects of radiation and radiation injury mechanisms; the concepts of kerma and dose; measurement methods for kerma and dose; the uncertainty of these measurements; application specific dosimetric quantities (such as those for mammography or CT); and methods for reporting dose including DICOM dose structured reports. The course will serve to separate fact from fiction. At the conclusion of the course, attendees should understand the various dosimetric quantities reported with modern medical images.