Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging: New Pathways in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy
Prof. Habib Zaidi, Professor of Excellence at Obuda University, recently presented new and innovative imaging solutions at an English-language educational workshop for master’s and PhD students and early-career researchers. The event was held at the PhysCon Laboratory of the University Research and Innovation Center (EKIK).
Prof. Habib Zaidi is Professor of Excellence at Obuda University, Head Physicist at Geneva University Hospitals, Head of the PET Instrumentation and Imaging Laboratory, and a full professor at the University of Geneva. He also serves as a visiting professor in Groningen and Southern Denmark. An internationally recognized researcher, Prof. Zaidi has made major contributions to the advancement of quantitative PET imaging, hybrid imaging systems, computational modeling, and deep learning. His work includes more than 385 peer-reviewed publications, substantial international research funding, numerous awards, and extensive editorial activity.
During the three-day professional workshop held at the PhysCon Research Center within EKIK, Prof. Zaidi demonstrated how machine learning and artificial intelligence are driving progress in medical imaging. His lectures focused on modern diagnostic approaches that combine multiple imaging modalities, such as hybrid PET–CT systems. PET (positron emission tomography) is an advanced nuclear medicine technique that visualizes metabolic activity at the cellular level, while CT (computed tomography) provides high-resolution structural imaging. The workshop also addressed SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography), which offers detailed layered visualization of organs using a different technical approach.
Hybrid imaging techniques are now widely used not only in oncology, but increasingly in cardiovascular and rheumatological diagnostics as well. Prof. Zaidi traced the evolution of artificial intelligence over the past fifty years, highlighting how it has become one of the most important tools in modern medicine. Participants gained insight into how PET and SPECT examinations work, making physiological processes within the body visible. The importance of image quality was strongly emphasized, as even minor inaccuracies can lead to significant artifacts. The lectures also addressed how radiation exposure can be minimized while preserving diagnostic accuracy, whether imaging the chest, brain, heart, or the entire body.
A key message of the workshop was that molecular imaging complements conventional techniques such as CT, MRI, and ultrasound. Prof. Zaidi also discussed how artificial intelligence supports image analysis, including the identification of suspicious areas and the comparison of results from different imaging studies.
“The future of medicine lies in personalized computational models that can describe the functioning of the human body with increasing precision. Artificial intelligence does not replace physicians; rather, it supports them in building more accurate diagnoses, predicting disease progression, and making optimal treatment decisions, especially in the field of cancer research,” Prof. Habib Zaidi concluded.
During the three-day professional workshop held at the PhysCon Research Center within EKIK, Prof. Zaidi demonstrated how machine learning and artificial intelligence are driving progress in medical imaging. His lectures focused on modern diagnostic approaches that combine multiple imaging modalities, such as hybrid PET–CT systems. PET (positron emission tomography) is an advanced nuclear medicine technique that visualizes metabolic activity at the cellular level, while CT (computed tomography) provides high-resolution structural imaging. The workshop also addressed SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography), which offers detailed layered visualization of organs using a different technical approach.
Hybrid imaging techniques are now widely used not only in oncology, but increasingly in cardiovascular and rheumatological diagnostics as well. Prof. Zaidi traced the evolution of artificial intelligence over the past fifty years, highlighting how it has become one of the most important tools in modern medicine. Participants gained insight into how PET and SPECT examinations work, making physiological processes within the body visible. The importance of image quality was strongly emphasized, as even minor inaccuracies can lead to significant artifacts. The lectures also addressed how radiation exposure can be minimized while preserving diagnostic accuracy, whether imaging the chest, brain, heart, or the entire body.
A key message of the workshop was that molecular imaging complements conventional techniques such as CT, MRI, and ultrasound. Prof. Zaidi also discussed how artificial intelligence supports image analysis, including the identification of suspicious areas and the comparison of results from different imaging studies.
“The future of medicine lies in personalized computational models that can describe the functioning of the human body with increasing precision. Artificial intelligence does not replace physicians; rather, it supports them in building more accurate diagnoses, predicting disease progression, and making optimal treatment decisions, especially in the field of cancer research,” Prof. Habib Zaidi concluded.
