The medical applications of physics are typically not covered in introductory physics courses. This volume fills that gap by explaining the physical principles behind technologies such as surgical lasers or computed tomography (CT or CAT) scanners. Each chapter contains a short, self-contained explanation of the necessary scientific background, making this book highly accessible to those without an advanced knowledge of physics. Introduction to Physics in Modern Medicine is intended for students in the field of medicine/health studies requiring an elementary background in physics. But it can also serve as a relatively non-mathematical introduction to this important area of applied physics for undergraduate physics students.

Table of Contents

Introduction and Overview. Fantastic Voyage: Fiber Optics and Endoscopes. Lasers in Medicine: Healing with Light. Seeing with Sound. X-ray Vision: Diagnostic X-rays and CT Scans. Images and Radioactivity: Radionucleotide scans, SPECT, and PET. Radiation Therapy and Radiation Safety in Medicine. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Solutions. Index.