Data in Medicine: Collection, Processing and Presentation

Nowadays clinical medicine is to a great extent dependent on techniques and instrumentation. Not infrequently, instrumentation is so complicated that technical specialists are required to perform the measurements and to process the data. Interpretation of the results, however, generally has to be done by physicians. For proper interpretation of data and good com munication with technical specialists, knowledge of, among other things, principle, advantages, limitations and applicability of the used techniques is necessary. Besides, this knowledge is required for critical comparison of systems to measure a certain variable. Critical evaluation as well as com parison of techniques and instruments ought to be an essential component of medical practice. In general, basic techniques and instrumentation are not taught in medi cal schools nor during residencies. Therefore, physicians themselves have to collect practical information about principle, advantages and limitations of techniques and instruments when using them in clinical medicine. This practical information, focussed on the specific techniques used in the various disciplines, is usually difficult to obtain from handbooks and manufacturers' manuals. Hence a new series of books is started on instru mentation and techniques in clinical medicine.

Contenu
1 Observation: how, what and why.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 Problems in the observer.- 1.3 Problems in the observed.- 1.4 Significance.- 2 Physical concepts.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Mechanical-electrical analogues.- 2.3 Hemodynamics.- 2.4 Pressure recording with catheters.- 2.5 Cardio-acoustics.- 3 The electronic approach to measurements.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Digital circuits.- 3.3 Analogue circuits.- 4 Radioactivity.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 An overview of the physics of radioactive emissions.- 4.3 Radiation detection system.- 4.4 Tracer sample counting.- 4.5 Applications.- 5 Image formation.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Image formation on the ray theory.- 5.3 Optical resolution.- 5.4 Aberrations of spherical lenses and mirrors.- 5.5 Resolution of lenses: the modulation transfer function.- 5.6 Choosing lenses.- 6 Photographic and television recording of images.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Detectability of an optical signal.- 6.3 The photographic process.- 6.4 Electronic aids to image sensing and recording.- 6.5 Color recording.- 7 Storage systems.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Graphic recorders.- 7.3 Storage from the oscilloscope screen.- 7.4 The magnetic tape recorder.- 7.5 Transient recorders.- 7.6 Card and tape punchers.- 7.7 Digital memories.- 7.8 Videotape recording.- 8 Automation.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Analysis of automation of measurements in clinical medicine.- 8.3 Application of automation to measurements in clinical medicine.- 8.4 Automation and the computer.- 8.5 Automation and the microprocessor.- 8.6 Pocket calculators and computers as tools in the diagnosis.- 8.7 Automating the decision/action phase.- 8.8 A last remark.- 9 Signal processing.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Special techniques.- 9.3 Stochastic signals.- 9.4 Deterministic signals.- 9.5 Manipulation.- 10 Statistical aspects.- 10.1 Introduction.- 10.2 The scope of applied statistics.- 10.3 Some experimental designs and statistical applications.- 11 Presentation of information for printed publications, slides and posters.- 11.1 Introduction.- 11.2 Investigating legibility.- 11.3 Books, journals and reports.- 11.4 Slides.- 11.5 Posters.- Index of subjects.