808Z Fall 2026 Medical Imaging Methods and Applications

When you have an imaging exam, such as x-ray, computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or ultrasound, what is actually happening? This nontechnical class introduces the underlying technologies and how they have developed since Roentgen's discovery of x-rays in 1895. We now can image both the form and the function of much of our anatomy and physiology (often in real-time), which has led to improved diagnosis and treatment. In recent years there have been great advances in speed, sensitivity, and accuracy, and reductions in radiation dose and cost. Specialized imaging methods (e.g., PET, nuclear medicine, interventional radiology) are also discussed, along with their applications to cancer treatment, vascular therapies, surgery, and Alzheimer's disease.

Murray Loew, Ph.D., is an OLLI member and a retired professor of Biomedical Engineering at George Washington University. He has had extensive research experience and collaborations with clinicians and scientists at GW, NIH, and the FDA across the range of imaging modalities and applications.