Institute of Good Manufacturing Practices India

Clinical Engineering (Module -5)

Biomedical Instrumentation and Medical Imaging System
By : Ajay Singh
Assistant Professor IGMPI

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Biomedical Instrumentation:
 Biomedical instrumentation is the application of knowledge and
technologies of biological and engineering sciences to solve problems
related to living biological systems.
 It involves measurement of biological signals, like electrical signals
generated in the human body.

 Biomedical Instrumentation helps physicians to diagnose the problem

and provide treatment.
 To measure biological signals and to design a medical instrument,
concepts of electronics and measurement techniques are needed

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Components of Biomedical Instrumentation System:

 Any medical instrument consists of the following functional basic parts:

1) Measurand: The measurand is the physical quantity, and the

instrumentation systems measure it. Human body acts as the source
for measurand, and it generates bio-signals. Example: body surface
or blood pressure in the heart, electrical signals.

 2. Sensor / Transducer: The transducer converts one form of energy to

another form usually electrical energy. For example, the
piezoelectric signal which converts mechanical vibrations into the
electrical signal.
.

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 The transducer produces a usable output depending on the measurand.

The sensor is used to sense the signal from the source. It is used to
interface the signal with the human.

 3. Signal Conditioner: Signal conditioning circuits are used to convert

the output from the transducer into an electrical value. The instrument
system sends this quantity to the display or recording system.
Generally, signal conditioning process includes amplification, filtering,
analogue to digital and Digital to analogue conversions. Signal
conditioning improves the sensitivity of instruments.

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 4. Display: It is used to provide a visual representation of the

measured parameter or quantity. Example: Chart recorder,
Cathode Ray oscilloscope (CRO). Sometimes alarms are used to
hear the audio signals. Example: Signals generated in Doppler
Ultrasound Scanner used for Foetal Monitoring

 5. Data Storage and Data Transmission: Data storage is used

to store the data and can be used for future reference. Recent
days Electronic Health records are utilized in hospitals. Data
transmission is used in Telemetric systems, where data can be
transmitted from one location to another remotely.

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Biomedical Imaging:

 Biomedical Imaging is technique which enables one to visualize

physiological structures, measure biological functions and evaluate
cellular and molecular events without requiring invasive procedures.

 Identifying and Characterizing Disease from the Macro to the

Molecular Scale.

 Biomedical instruments helps to take images of human body or other

animals.

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Importance of medical imaging:

• Medical imaging allows doctors to better assess of patients' bones,
organs, tissue and blood vessels through non-invasive means.
• Process help determine whether surgery would be an effective treatment
option

• Locate tumors for treatment and removal, Find blood clots or other
blockages

• Doctors dealing with joint replacements or the treatment of fractures;

and assist other procedures involving the placement of devices -- such
as stents or catheters -- inside the body.

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 Biomedical imaging technologies utilize either:

 X-rays (CT scans)

 Sound (ultrasound)

 Magnetism (MRI)

 Radioactive pharmaceuticals (nuclear medicine: SPECT, PET)

 Light (endoscopy, OCT)

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 Working Principle of X-ray Machine:

 X-ray machines work by applying controlled voltage and

current to the X-ray tube. So the beam intensity of X-rays
can be controlled by controlling voltage or current. The
beam is projected on the object. Some of the beams will
pass through the object and some are absorbed.

 X-rays are electromagnetic radiations that fall within the

frequency range of 30 EHz – 30 PHz.

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 X-ray machine was invented by Henry Backral of
Germany.

 X-Rays are used extensively in modern medicine for

detection of fracture in bones, presence of Tumour,
infection of lungs, kidneys and other organs of body.

 X-rays are also used for treatment of tumours and abnormal

condition in the body.

 Calcium in bones absorbs x-rays the most, so bones look

white.
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 Working principle of CT Scan:

 CT scans are created using a series of x-rays, which are a

form of radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum.

 The scanner emits x-rays towards the patient from a variety

of angles – and the detectors in the scanner measure the
difference between the x-rays that are absorbed by the
body, and x-rays that are transmitted through.

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 Unlike a conventional x-ray—which uses a fixed x-ray

tube—a CT scanner uses a motorized x-ray source that
rotates around the circular opening of a donut-shaped
structure called a gantry

 Each time the x-ray source completes one full rotation, the
CT computer uses sophisticated mathematical techniques to
construct a 2D image slice of the patient.

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 Image slices can either be displayed individually or stacked

together by the computer to generate a 3D image of the
patient that shows the skeleton, organs, and tissues as well
as any abnormalities the physician is trying to identify

 This method has many advantages including the ability to

rotate the 3D image in space or to view slices in succession,
making it easier to find the exact place where a problem
may be located.

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THANK YOU
To be continued with more examples…

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