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 Karl Franzens University Graz

Graz University of Technology 

Fractal Analysis and Nonlinear Methods in Medicine
Ao.Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr.rer.nat. Helmut Ahammer
Institute of Biophysics, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21, 8010 Graz, Austria
17:00 - 18:00 Tuesday 06 May 2014 KFU HS 5.01

Medical radiology as well as digital pathology produce digital images up to very high resolutions. The number of images taken in clinics as well as pre-clinics is steadily increasing, but nevertheless, there is a lack of quantitative or mathematical methods to circumvent subjective misinterpretations. The theory of fractals and Non-Euclidean geometry is well suited to describe relative complex spatial patterns of cells, cell nuclei or tissues. In medicine and more generally in nature, fractals do not appear as exact mathematical fractals and therefore, a statistical approach is essential. Several methods exist and can be applied in order to calculate estimations of fractal dimensions. Actual values are well suited to distinguish between distinct grades of pathology, e.g. grades of pre-cancerous malformations of cell nuclei shapes.
Fractals and nonlinear deterministic dynamical systems are tightly connected and therefore, temporal investigations in medicine are of interest, too. Particularly, the nonlinearly affected heart rate variability is a well-regarded parameter for several heart diseases. Current experiments using autorhythmic embryonic heart cells enable direct investigations on a cellular level. Recent results have shown that healthy cells have a higher beat rate variability than cells under toxic conditions.