Course 216 – Frontiers in Medical Physics

Topics:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging

• Fundaments of MRI
• Reconstruction techniques
• q-MRI
• Diffusion & functional MRI, tractography
• New frontiers in MRI technologies

X-Ray imaging

• Fundaments of X-ray imaging
• Dose optimization in X-ray imaging
• Photon counting CT: image quality and new perspectives
• Phase contrast imaging techniques
• Dark field imaging: from the physics principles to the first clinical experience

External beam Radiotherapy (RT): status and new perspectives

• Clinical needs in radiation oncology
• Fundaments of radiobiology
• Technological aspects of external beam radiotherapy
• Advanced image guidance in photon therapy
• Advanced image guidance in particle therapy
• New frontiers in external beam radiotherapy: Temporal (FLASH) and Spatial (mini beams) Fractionation

Innovative instrumentation for external beam radiotherapy

• Accelerators for ion beam therapy: status and new developments
• New systems for FLASH & very high-energy electrons (VHEE) RT
• Laser-driven proton sources for biomedical applications
• New dosimeters for next-generation RT

The bleeding edge in AI, imaging, and therapeutic technologies

• Redefining (bio)medical physics with AI and generative models
• AI-Driven preakthroughs across physics, neuroscience, and AI
• Quantum AI and quantum applications in precision medicine
• Magnetic nanomaterials for next-generation neurophysics
• Beyond boundaries: Ultra-High Field MRI (7T-17T) in human and animal research
• Combining ultrasound and UHF MRI for brain therapies

1 – 6 July 2025
Directors
Cristina Lenardi – Università degli Studi di Milano & INFN Milano (Italy)
Katia Parodi – Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich (Germany)