Diffusion & Perfusion Imaging (MRES7007)

Course overview

Theoretical background & clinical applications of diffusion weighted (DWI) and perfusion imaging (PI). Theory includes pulse sequence design, isotropic & anisotropic diffusion processes, diffusion tensor imaging, bolus tracking of contrast agents, arterial spin tagging methods & DWI & PI image processing.

Diffusion-weighted imaging uses the mobility of water protons to determine microscopic characteristics of tissues. Perfusion exams are designed to assess the delivery of blood to a vascular bed. Diffusion and perfusion imaging have been widely used in neurovascular investigations into cancer, stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.ﾠ

In the course we will evaluate:

• the principles behind diffusion imaging
• MRI sequences used for diffusion and perfusion imaging
• acquisition, processing and interpretation of diffusion-weighted images
• the principles behind perfusion imaging
• acquisition, processing and interpretation of perfusion images
• clinical application of perfusion- and diffusion-weighted imaging

Towards the end of the course, students will create Diffusion and Perfusion MRI scanning protocols for the disease they are interested in.

Course requirements

Assumed background

Undergraduate qualification in radiography, biomedical engineering or medical physics (or international equivalent)

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

(MRES7001 or MRES7100) + MRES7004 or MRES7400

Restrictions

A minimum quota of 5 students across the internal and external offerings per semester required for course to run.

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

The course schedule is supplied on Blackboard: it indicates a timetable for the modules to be studied and the assignments to be undertaken throughout the semester.

ON campus Tutorials - Tuesdays 2-3pm. Level 5 meeting room, CAI Building 57, St Lucia Campus

Aims and outcomes

This course aims to give students the capabilityﾠto evaluate commonly used diffusion-weighted and perfusion imaging sequencesﾠandﾠ
use these protocols for clinical practice.ﾠ

On completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Design pulse sequence parameters,
- Evaluate hardware requirement, method limitation and patient safety
- Develop scan protocol and fulfil dataﾠrequirementﾠto obtain usefulﾠclinical information

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment details

Assessment 1 series (Quizzes)

• Online

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Quiz

Weight

32% There are 8 Quizzes, each quiz is 4%

Due date

Quiz 1 24/02/2025 - 3/03/2025

Quiz SL1 10/03/2025 - 17/03/2025

Quiz SL2 17/03/2025 - 24/03/2025

Quiz 2 31/03/2025 - 7/04/2025

Quiz 3 7/04/2025 - 14/04/2025

Quiz 4 5/05/2025 - 12/05/2025

Quiz 5 12/05/2025 - 19/05/2025

Quiz 6 12/05/2025 - 19/05/2025

Quizzes will open and close on Mondays at 1 pm (Brisbane time) in Blackboard

Other conditions

Time limited.

See the conditions definitions

Task description

Submission guidelines

Students are advised not to take the quiz at the last minute in case there are problems with Blackboard. The quiz will take 10 minutes and must be taken in a single sitting.

Deferral or extension

You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.

An extension is not available for this quiz due to the answers being discussed in the next available tutorial. However, successful applications for an extension in extenuating circumstances may be offered an alternative assessment. If there are extenuating circumstances why you were unable to complete your quiz then please email smp.student@uq.edu.au. You will need to do this within 5 calendar days of your quiz and include evidence (e.g., medical certificate).

Late submission

You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.

The quizzes are open for 7 days and cannot be accessed once closed. A 100% penalty will be applied if the quiz is not attempted within that period. 

Assessment 2: Design a diffusion MRI protocol

• Online

Mode

Oral, Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution, Presentation, Product/ Design

Weight

34% Consists of 20% report, 4% peer-review, 10% presentation

Due date

(Start research and planning) 3/03/2025

(optional draft submission opens in Turnitin) 31/03/2025

Report due in Turnitin 10/04/2025 1:00 pm

Peer-review feedback due in Turnitin 17/04/2025 1:00 pm

Presentation and Q&A (TBA) 28/04/2025

(optional re submission in Turnitin) 1/05/2025 1:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific, Time limited, Peer assessed.

See the conditions definitions

Task description

Submission guidelines

Please submit assignments to TurnItIn, through BlackBoard (https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra/course). Detailed instructions on how to access and use TurnItIn will be provided at the beginning of the semester.

The assignment should be saved as a word or a pdf file. The file name should be MRES7007_surname_assign1.doc . The first page of your assignment must be the assignment coversheet filled with your details. The coversheet is available for downloading on Blackboard.  Students are permitted to submit a draft.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

One week extension to the report submission may be granted for exceptional circumstances only, as timely submission is required to enable the report exchange for peer review.

Student with a late report submission will be excluded and lose marking from paired peer-review.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item then the listed penalty will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.

Assessment 3: Design a perfusion MRI protocol

• Identity Verified
• Online

Mode

Oral, Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution, Presentation, Product/ Design

Weight

34% Consists of 20% report, 4% peer-review, 10% presentation

Due date

(Start research and planning) 14/04/2025

(optional draft submission opens in Turnitin) 5/05/2025

Report due in Turnitin 15/05/2025 1:00 pm

Peer-review feedback due in Turnitin 22/05/2025 1:00 pm

Presentation and Q&A (TBA) 26/05/2025

(optional re submission in Turnitin) 29/05/2025 1:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific, Time limited, Peer assessed.

See the conditions definitions

Task description

Submission guidelines

Please submit assignments to TurnItIn, through BlackBoard (https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra/course). Detailed instructions on how to access and use TurnItIn will be provided at the beginning of the semester. Students are permitted to submit a draft.

The assignment should be saved as a word or a pdf file. The file name should be MRES7007_surname_assign1.doc . The first page of your assignment must be the assignment coversheet filled with your details. The coversheet is available for downloading on Blackboard.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

One week extension to the report submission may be granted for exceptional circumstances only. Students with a late report submission will be excluded and lose marking from paired peer-review.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item then the listed penalty will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

There is no final exam in MRES7007. The grade in this subject will be accumulated throughout the semester from

- Assessment 1: there are 8 quizzes, 4% each, total = 32%

- Assessment 2: 20% report, 4% peer-review, 10% presentation and Q&A, total = 34%

- Assessment 3: 20% report, 4% peer-review, 10% presentation and Q&A, total = 34%

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply. 

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.  

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.  

Supplementary assessment in this course will be in a format of an assignment determined by the Course Coordinator. To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment. 

Additional assessment information

Artificial Intelligence

Assessment tasks in this course evaluate students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates

Extension requests are submitted online via my.UQ – applying for an extension. Extension requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with extension requests, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons, may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

• Requests for an extension to an assessment due date must be submitted through your my.UQ portal and you must provide documentation of your circumstances, as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed. Your application must be submitted on or before the assessment item's due date and time.
• Applications for extension can take time to be processed so you should continue to work on your assessment item while awaiting a decision. We recommend that you submit any completed work by the due date, and this will be marked if your application is not approved. Should your application be approved, then you will be able to resubmit by the agreed revised due date.
• If an extension is approved, you will be notified via your my.UQ portal and the new date and time for submission provided. It is important that you check the revised date as it may differ from the date that you requested.
• If the basis of the application is a medical condition, applications should be accompanied by a medical certificate dated prior to the assignment due date. If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a written statement (Word document) outlining why you cannot provide the documentation. You must then upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
• If an extension is being sought on the basis of exceptional circumstances, it must be accompanied by supporting documentation (eg. Statutory declaration).
• For extensions based on a SAP you may be granted a maximum of 7 days (if no earlier maximum date applies). See the Extension or Deferral availability section of each assessment for details. Your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, additional extension requests for the assessment item will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
• Students may be asked to submit evidence of work completed to date. Lack of adequate progress on your assessment item may result in an extension being denied.
• If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, you are advised to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty - seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
• There are no provisions for exemption from an assessment item within UQ rules. If you are unable to submit an assessment piece then, under special circumstances, you may be granted an exemption, but may be required to submit alternative assessment to ensure all learning outcomes are met.

Applications to defer an exam

In certain circumstances you can apply to take a deferred examination for in-semester and end-of-semester exams. You'll need to demonstrate through supporting documentation how unavoidable circumstances prevented you from sitting your exam. If you can’t, you can apply for a one-off discretionary deferred exam.

Deferred Exam requests are submitted online via mySi-net. Requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with deferred examinations, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

• Applications can be submitted no later than 5 calendar days after the date of the original exam.
• There are no provisions to defer a deferred exam. You need to be available to sit your deferred examination.
• Your deferred examination request(s) must have a status of "submitted" in mySI-net to be assessed.
• All applications for deferred in-semester examinations are assessed by the relevant school. Applications for deferred end-of-semester examinations are assessed by the Academic Services Division.
• You’ll receive an email to your student email account when the status of your application is updated.
• If you have a medical condition, mental health condition or disability and require alternative arrangements for your deferred exam you’ll need to complete the online alternative exam arrangements through my.UQ. This is in addition to your deferred examinations request. You need to submit this request on the same day as your request for a deferred exam or supplementary assessment. Contact Student Services if you need assistance completing your alternative exam arrangements request.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

UQ Library offers learning resources and research support to CAI students.

Take a moment to familiarise yourself with the following library sites.

• UQ Library Search
• Borrowing information for external and remote students
• Finding information and research help

Forﾠ further Library information or assistance contact the CAI liaison librarian

Referencing

Preference for making references: Firstly, whenever possible references should be made to the original articles or recent publications. Secondly, the use of original source/ recent articles is more favourable than the use of review articles.

Lastly, while you may use materials from MRT website and lectures, their use should be limited.

Lower marking will be given for excessive use of reviews and MRT/lecture materials.

Variation in referencing styles exist in journals relevant to MRI science; therefore, we do not specify a particular style but prefer the use of either the Vancouver or Harvard referencing style. Description of referencing styles are available form UQ Library .

To reference the MRT material from the website:

Use the corporate website style: state the course, year, module number, screen number and title, and then the url; for example,

University of Queensland MRES7001, Semester 1, 2016, Module 4, screen 3, 'Variation in B0'. Available from [add the URL].

To reference material presented by a lecturer or tutor

Cite the lecturer's name, title for the item, then the course, year and URL; for example:

I. Brereton. Tutorial Session 4 Module 2 and 3 Part B, MRES7001 Semester 1, University of Queensland 2015. Available from [add the URL].

Hint: To add the URL simply highlight the full URL in the website field and then cut and paste.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.