Roger Fulton
Roger Fulton is a principal nuclear medicine physicist in the Department of Medical Physics at Westmead Hospital and Conjoint Professor of Medical and Preclinical imaging at the University of Sydney. He has devoted most of his career to developing motion tracking and image reconstruction techniques to compensate for head motion in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and computed tomography (CT). He also adapted motion correction techniques for human PET imaging to image the brains of awake rats with a preclinical microPET scanner.
He has held several leadership positions on peak professional bodies in Australia, chaired the Nuclear Medical and Imaging Sciences Council of the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS), and is the inaugural Chair of the IEEE Foundation’s NPSS Fund. He has delivered many medical physics training workshops in developing countries, and led the development of a comprehensive training guide for nuclear medicine physicists, on behalf of the IAEA. Roger has published about 100 journal articles and has an h-index of 35.
Abstract Prof. Fulton Lectures:
Computed Tomography (CT) is a cornerstone of modern medical imaging, providing detailed cross-sectional views of the human body that are critical for diagnosis and treatment planning. This lecture is designed to introduce medical physics students to the fundamental principles of CT imaging, offering a solid foundation for understanding how CT systems work and how images are formed. We will cover key concepts such as X-ray generation, attenuation, and the basic physics of image acquisition. The lecture will also introduce the mathematical principles of image reconstruction, focusing on filtered back projection to illustrate how raw data are converted into clinical images.
To connect these basics with real-world applications, we will discuss factors that influence image quality, including spatial resolution, contrast, noise, and common artifacts, as well as strategies for balancing image quality with radiation dose.
Finally, we will provide a brief overview of emerging CT technologies, including dual-energy CT and photon-counting detectors, highlighting their potential to improve diagnostic capabilities. While time constraints limit an in-depth exploration, this lecture will offer a concise introduction to both the established principles and the exciting innovations shaping the future of CT imaging.
