Introduction to biological and medical

physics. Physical basis of methods, used in

diagnostics and treatment

LECTURE 1
 BIOMEDICAL PHYSICS

Why should YOU study biomedical physics?

…or why should senior physicists care about

medical research?

…and why care medical researchers/industry

about physics???
FIRST ANSWER….SYNERGY!
SECOND ANSWER….OVERCOMING LIMITS!
W H A T I S M E D I C A L P HY S I C S ?

Medical physics is the application of physics to medicine.

All areas of physics can be applied to medicine (Mechanics,
electromagnetism, thermodynamics, nuclear physics, optics,
fluids,…..) Medical physics is mainly involved in the
development of new instrumentation and technology used
for diagnosis and also for treatments. The human body is a
very complex system. Concepts of modeling in physics can
by applied to simulate different activities of the human body
systems: For example the modeling of the blood flow in the
study of the body’s circulatory system.
The human body is made up of different systems working together to
keep the body in health. We can use analogies with physics to
simulate the function of these systems and to understand the
connections between them.
APPLICATION TO MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
 Different techniques of diagnosis and medical
instruments are based on physical principles such
as, the measurement of the body temperature, the
measurement of the blood pressure, the eye
pressure , the heart pulse,…
 Medical imaging ( X-rays radiology, Magnetic
Resonance Imaging MRI, ultra-sound scan,… ) is
a very useful descipline of medical diagnosis.
 MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

There are several basic types:

 Diagnostic equipment includes medical imaging machines, used to
aid in diagnosis.
 Treatment equipment includes infusion pumps, medical lasers and
LASIK surgical machines.
 Life support equipment is used to maintain a patient's bodily
function. This includes medical ventilators, incubators, anaesthetic.
 Medical monitors allow medical staff to measure a patient's medical
state.
 Medical laboratory equipment automates or helps analyze blood,
urine, genes, and dissolved gases in the blood.
 Therapeutic: physical therapy machines like
continuous passive range of motion (CPM) machines
THE BEGINNINGS OF MODERN PHYSICS AND OF MEDICAL
PHYSICS
THE BEGINNINGS OF MODERN PHYSICS AND OF MEDICAL
PHYSICS
THE BEGINNINGS OF MODERN PHYSICS AND OF MEDICAL
PHYSICS
M E D I C A L I N S T R U M E NT S
MEDICAL IMAGING
Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI
MRI uses the property of the nuclear magnetic resonance
NMR to image the nuclei of atoms inside the body,
specially the hydrogen atom H since the body tissues
contain lots of water. MRI is used for pathologic diagnosis
such as lesions in the brain
 M E D I C A L I N S T R U M E NT S
Otoscope
An otoscope is a medical
device typically having a
light and a set of lenses,
used for the visual
examination of the
eardrum and the canal of
the outer ear
MEDICAL IMAGING
X-Ray Imaging
An X-ray is a painless medical
test that helps physicians
diagnose. Radiography
involves exposing a part of the
body to a small dose of
ionizing radiation to produce
images inside of the body.
Xrays are the oldest and most
frequently used form of
medical imaging.
MEDICAL IMAGING

Fluoroscopy
One of the most important
benefits of this procedure is
that it allows the doctor to view
the body’s inner systems while
they are actually functioning.
For example, a doctor can
watch a patient’s stomach as it
digests food, allowing the
doctor to obtain valuable
diagnostic information.
MEDICAL SURGERY
Laser surgery (photocoagulation)
Retinal detachment occurs when part of it is lifted from its normal
position in the back of the eyeball.
During photocoagulation your surgeon directs a laser beam through
a contact lens or ophthalmoscope designed for this procedure. The
laser makes burns around the retinal tear, and the scarring that
results usually "welds" the retina to the underlying tissue.
MEDICAL SURGERY
Endoscopy Endoscopic surgery uses scopes going
through small incisions or natural body openings in
order to diagnose and treat disease. Another popular
term is minimally invasive surgery (MIS), which
emphasizes that diagnosis and treatments can be done
with reduced body cavity invasion.
PROSTHESIS
Prosthesis is the replacement of a missing or a defect
parts of the body by an other made artificially and
assuming the same function as the missing part.
ARTIFICIAL DEVICES TO REPLACE VITAL ORGANS
CONTINUES TO BE A HUMAN DREAM FOR THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE WAITING
FOR A HEART OR A KIDNEY GRIEF.
MEASUREMENTS STANDARDS AND UNITS
Physical quantities are classified into fundamental
quantities such as mass, length, time
THE SC I E N T I F I C N O T A T I O N

A number is said to be in scientific notation when it is

written as a number between 1 and 10, times a power of
10. for example 521 can be written as 5.21 × 10 2 , or a
small number like 0.000000521 can be written as 5.21 ×
10-7 .
The advantage of this notation is its compactness, it also
facilitates numerical calculations. When a number is
written with the powers of 10, we can use the following
prefixes
THE SC I E N T I F I C N O T A T I O N
FLUID DYNAMICS AND ITS BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL
APPLICATIONS

VISCOUS FLUIDS
LAMINAR FLOW AND VISCOSITY

 The precise definition of viscosity is based

on laminar, or nonturbulent, flow. Before we can
define viscosity, then, we need to define laminar
flow and turbulent flow.
 Laminar flow is characterized by the smooth
flow of the fluid in layers that do not mix.
Turbulent flow, or turbulence, is characterized
by eddies and swirls that mix layers of fluid
together.
LAMINAR FLOW AND VISCOSITY
 The lines that are shown in many illustrations are the
paths followed by small volumes of fluids. These are
called streamlines.
Streamlines are smooth and continuous when flow is
laminar, but break up and mix when flow is turbulent.
 Turbulence has two main causes.

First, any obstruction or sharp corner, such as in a

faucet, creates turbulence by imparting velocities
perpendicular to the flow.
Second, high speeds cause turbulence.
LAMINAR FLOW

Laminar flow occurs in layers without mixing(a)

Notice that viscosity causes drag between layers as
well as with the fixed surface. (b)
VISCOSITY
Viscosity is readily defined by considering a simple
experiment. The figure show two plates separated by a thin
fluid layer. The lower plate is held fixed. A force is required
to move the upper plate at a constant speed. This force is
needed to overcome the viscous forces due to the liquid and
is greater for a highly viscous fluid
VISCOSITY
The force 𝐹 is observed to be proportional to the area of the plates 𝐴
and to the velocity gradient ∆𝑣 /∆𝑦
The proportionality factor is the coefficient of viscosity represented
by the Greek letter “eta”) The S.I unit of viscosity is the 𝑘𝑔. 𝑚−1 . 𝑠
−1 = 𝑃𝑎. 𝑠
The larger the viscosity, the larger force needed to move the plate at
a constant speed.
THE RELATION BETWEEN VISCOSITY AND TEMPERATURE
THE FLOW IN THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
THE FLOW RESISTANCE
 What causes flow?
 The answer, is pressure difference.
 Flow rate is in the direction from high to low
pressure. The greater the pressure differential
between two points, the greater the flow rate.
This relationship can be stated as
LAMINAR FLOW CONFINED TO TUBES—POISEUILLE’S LAW

For laminar flow, the flow resistance can be calculated

using the Poiseuille’s law for resistance:
𝑅 = 8𝜂𝑙 / 𝜋Taken
together, Q and R give the following expression for
flow rate:
Q=∆P 𝜋 / 8𝜂𝑙
This equation describes laminar flow through a
tube. It is sometimes called Poiseuille’s law for
laminar flow, or simply Poiseuille’s law.
REYNOLDS NUMBER

Turbulence has two main causes.

First, any obstruction or sharp corner.
Second, high speeds cause turbulence.
Turbulence in the circulatory system is noisy.
An indicator called the Reynolds number can
reveal whether flow is laminar or turbulent. For
flow in a tube of uniform diameter, the Reynolds
number is defined as =
 REYNOLDS NUMBER
 If Re < 2000 the flow is Laminar
 If Re > 4000 the flow is turbulent
 If 2000 < Re < 4000 it is called transition flow.