Welcome to our biomedical imaging blog!

We plan to use this platform to explore topics in biomedical imaging, ranging from light and pure optics to microscopy and medical imaging. We will draw from current events, our personal backgrounds and interests, and reader suggestions. We also may have occasional guest posts.

We would like to start with two related topics that are near and dear to us: imaging and illustrating. Merriam defines “imaging” as “the action or process of using specialized techniques … to produce an image of something that is not visible to the naked eye.” This can include things too small to be otherwise seen, such as cellular structures, and/or things too obscured to be otherwise seen, such as internal bodily organs. Merriam defines “illustrating” as “to provide with visual features intended to explain or decorate” and “to make clear by giving or by serving as an example or instance.” The common connection between these two definitions is “illuminating,” which Merriam defines as “providing insight, clarity, or understanding.”

It turns out that neither biomedical images nor biomedical illustrations are exact replicas. Instead, they are both renditions intending to illuminate, or shine a light on, a structure or a process or a situation. Similarly, they both require a vision and a set of skills to produce. For example, in an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the brain, the MRI technologist can vary sampling protocols to make CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) bright and white matter dark, or CSF dark and white matter bright, among other options.

We used illustrations in Introductory Biomedical Imaging to assist with and complement the written explanations of imaging techniques and the underlying physics.

We wanted to avoid distractions or complications. For example, whenever possible, light in the book always travels from left to right, or from top to bottom. Similarly, we selected a common color palette ….

TO BE FINISHED.