The aim of PMOD's biannual basic application courses (held each year in March and September in Zurich) is to teach the participants the effective use of the major PMOD tools. Brief presentations will outline the principles behind the different types of data analysis. They will be complemented by live demonstrations. Ample time will be available for individual practice based on a workbook and for interacting with the trainers.

The participants are required to bring their own notebooks. Each participant will be given a USB flash key with the latest PMOD version as well as training data sets. PMOD can be started directly from the key, such that the configuration of the notebook will remain untouched. As a courtesy, the key can be taken home and will work for another two months. This will give the participants the opportunity to complete their studies if needed, and to try the PMOD tools on their own data.

Upon completion of the training the participants will be able to:

• Exploit the wealth of image presentations and layouts,
• Apply the filtering and image processing tools,
• Define Volumes-of-Interest (VOIs) using manual and automatic methods and calculate their statistics,
• Calculate time-activity curves and submit them to the kinetic modeling tool,
• Understand the different types of models and apply them in the general and pixel-wise modeling tool,
• Assess the identifiability of kinetic model parameters,
• Match images of a single patient by manual and automatic methods,
• Spatially normalize a brain image to a brain atlas,
• Select among the available image fusion techniques,
• Perform pixel-wise algebra with matched series, eg. to calculate a perfusion reserve,
• Apply segmentation techniques to extract organ surfaces and render them in 3D,
• Project functional information as a texture onto an organ surface.
  
  

The course is aimed at participants with a basic to intermediate skill level.
It is primarily designed for existing PMOD users who:

• Started with PMOD recently,
• Wish to extend their knowledge and interact with the developers of the software,
• Would like to evaluate modules which are not available in their purchased installation.
  
  

On Saturday, September 18, the day right after the PMOD Basic Application Course, a PMOD Small Animal Imaging and Analysis Course will be organized in the same course environment. The participants will be trained in the processing of small animal data using PMOD and will learn the principles and special techniques required for the meaningful analysis of the uptake in small tissue structures. The prerequisite for participation is an intermediate skill level in PMOD, as acquired for instance at the two days PMOD Basic Application Course. Registration is being handled separately from the basic application course registration, yet the following privileged fees will apply to basic application course participants (student discount of 20% on standard fees). [ Overview ]