| Title: | Modern Miracle Medical Machines: Introducing Contemporary Physics in the Context of Medical Applications* |
| Meeting: | 2005 AAPT Winter Meeting: Albuquerque, NM |
| Location: | Aragon SW Exhibit Hall |
| Date: | Monday, Jan. 10 |
| Time: | 8:00 a.m. |
| Author: |
Dean Zollman, Kansas State
Univ. 785-532-1619, dzollman@phys.ksu.edu |
| Co-Author(s): | None |
| Abstract: | Many of the diagnostic devices used by physicians have their technological foundation in contemporary physics. To understand techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), students require knowledge of nuclear and quantum physics. Thus, these instruments can provide motivation to study contemporary physics. To exploit this motivation we have built on the Visual Quantum Mechanics1 project (http://web.phys.ksu.edu/vqm/) and are developing learning units that focus on applications to medical diagnosis. Units are planned on x-ray production and absorption, MRI, PET, CT scans and ultrasound. Initial efforts have focused on understanding student models of these procedures before instruction and on gathering useful web-based resources for teachers. (http://web.phys.ksu.edu/mmmm/) |
| Footnotes: | *Supported by the NSF grant #DUE-04-2675. Additional support from the German Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung as part of the Physik im Kontext project. 1. Dean Zollman, Visual Quantum Mechanics (Ztek, Lexington, KY, 2002); http://www.ztek.com. |