Into the Future with Metrology

The Challenges of Medical Technology

Medical measurements have a long tradition at PTB, but they have an even greater future as the development towards quantitative and individualized medicine represents a great challenge for metrology. The measurements have to be accurate and reliable, and they have to create confidence. This is where PTB has its core competence. PTB ensures the traceability of many important measurement procedures required, for example, by the EU's In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive, but also by the German Medical Devices Act. With its measurement capabilities, PTB is the world leader in this field. According to the Measures and Verification Act, it is the only notified body in Germany to carry out type examinations of sound level meters. With its statutory mandate, PTB also plays an important role in dosimetry. Metrology is indispensable for one of the most important developments in medicine: the trend towards an increasing number of quantitative measurements. PTB is at the forefront of this research, for example, in the field of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging. Here, the aim is to make the measurements more and more reliable and comprehensible. In this extremely complex interdisciplinary field, intensive collaborations with suggestions and ideas coming from all participants are essential. Therefore, PTB wishes to further intensify its existing good contacts with physicians, hospitals and the medical technology industry. If you are interested, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Further team members wanted: Metrology for AI in medicineFurther team members wanted: Metrology for AI in medicine

PTB is increasing its expertise in AI in medicine – Job openings for ten junior scientists

News

Das Infraschall-Wiedergabesystem besteht aus zwei Schallerzeugern (Kopfhörerkapseln in einem luftdichten Metallgehäuse). Über einen Schlauch wird der Schall zu einem gemeinsamen Einsteckhörer geleitet.

Infraschall steht mit der steigenden Zahl von Emissionsorten in unserer Umwelt zunehmend im gesellschaftlichen Interesse. Zusammen mit der Universität Magdeburg hat die PTB untersucht, wie der Mensch Infraschall über das Gehör wahrnimmt und ob die Detektionsschwelle eines Infraschall- Signals davon abhängt, ob es aus einem oder mehreren Tönen besteht. Das erlaubt Rückschlüsse auf die Wahrnehmung...

Multipipette beim Befüllen einer Multiwell-Platte (großes Bild) und Schema der Digitalisierung von Nukleinsäurefragmenten bei der digitalen Tröpfchen-Polymerasekettenreaktion (ddPCR)(kleines Bild). Digitalisierung bedeutet dabei, dass jedem gefundenen Virus-RNA-Fragment der Wert 1 zugewiesen wird.

Erstmals wurde die digitale Tröpfchen-PCR in internationalen Vergleichsmessungen zur Qualitätssicherung von SARS-CoV-2-Tests und dabei insbesondere zur Quantifizierung der RNA-Konzentration erfolgreich eingesetzt.

Messungen der UV-C-Strahlung

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) measured the internal irradiance of a prototype of an indoor UV-C air purification unit to gauge its effectiveness in neutralizing germs and viruses. A simulation of the irradiance distribution in the unit also enabled us to investigate the suitability of the lamp arrangement that was finally selected. After investigating this prototype, it can be...

Overview of the database's contents. Each entry corresponds to a row in the table from top to bottom in the chronological order. Black pixels show availablevalues; white pixels indicate missing values.

Eine in der PTB entwickelte Datenbank liefert mehr als 20 000 EKG-Aufnahmen, maschinenlesbare Befunde und Anmerkungen von Kardiologen. Sie wurde vor allem für die Entwicklung maschineller Lernverfahren aufbereitet und ist zu deren besseren Vergleichbarkeit in Trainings- und Testabschnitte organisiert. Die Datenbank mit Namen PTB-XL ist bei PhysioNet öffentlich verfügbar.

The growing number of infrasound sources (infrasound: frequencies below 20 Hz) in our environment is calling society's attention to infrasound exposure. Together with the Department of Experimental Audiology at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, PTB has participated in the project titled "Infrasound and its relevance for audible sound". The project is funded by the Deutsche...

Medical research at PTB: PreventionMedical research at PTB: Prevention

Infrasound

Hearing well into your old age

From birth to old age, from ultrasound to infrasound, the correct measurement of sound plays a decisive role everywhere – and that includes PTB.

Medical research at PTB: Diagnostics and TherapyMedical research at PTB: Diagnostics and Therapy

MEG measuring device

New sensors for biomagnetic signals
The value of the minute magnetic fields of the human heart and brain – and of the research that is going on there.

Droplet Digital PCR

Laboratory values: valuable indicators for diseases
These were crucial even before corona: What organic and inorganic biomarkers in the blood or serum can tell us.

Torso phantom

MRI - Safety first!
Magnetic resonance imaging at high magnetic fields up to 7 teslas gives us perfect images, but it also has to be accompanied by good measurements.

Tissue-specific relaxation time

When the MRI scanner does the analyses on its ownt
The change to quantitative measurements in magnetic resonance imaging is in full swing.

Percentage of the different types of X-ray examinations

It's the dose that counts
How high is the radiation exposure during X-rays? PTB is addressing this question in various different ways.

calibration of dosemeters

Apply the right absorbed dose against the tumor
Our goal: Fighting tumors while protecting the surrounding tissues. Precise measurements play a crucial role here.

Medical research at PTB: Digitalization in the Health Care SystemMedical research at PTB: Digitalization in the Health Care System

Abbildung KI

PTB's AI Strategy
Artificial intelligence in medicine is booming. This also applies to PTB and is reflected by PTB’s new AI strategy.

mammography

Model-based observer and machine learning for high-quality images
The latest procedures using artificial intelligence to analyze images, such as those from mammography screening.

ECG database

Matters close to the heart: Artificial Intelligence
The world’s largest ECG database is from PTB and it helps to train methods of artificial intelligence.

PTB’s Steering Group for Medicine

Since 2019, there have been five Steering Groups at PTB. These Steering Groups coordinate particularly important future-oriented topics and work on them across the boundaries of PTB’s divisions. The task of the Steering Group for Medicine (SG-M) is to develop PTB’s overall strategy in this field, to pursue the implementation of strategic aims and to allow synergy effects to evolve. This requires close coordination with PTB's divisions and intensive cooperation with external partners.

Coordinator
Dr. David Auerbach
Working Group 3.12
Optical Analysis
Phone: +49 531 592-3102
Opens window for sending email david.auerbach(at)ptb.de

Members
Dr. Jörn Stenger (Chairperson) )
Member of the Presidential Board
Phone: +49 531 592-3000
Opens window for sending email joern.stenger(at)ptb.de

Dr. Christian Koch
Head of Department 1.6
Sound
Phone: +49 531 592-1600
christian.koch(at)ptb.de

Dr. Bernd Güttler
Head of Division 3
Chemical Physics and Explosion Protection
Phone: +49 531 592-3010
Opens window for sending email bernd.guettler(at)ptb.de

Dr. Annette Röttger
Head of Division 6
Ionizing Radiation
Phone: +49 531 592-6010
Opens local program for sending email annette.roettger(at)ptb.de

Prof. Dr. Tobias Schäffter
Head of Division 8
Medical Physics and Metrological Information Technology
Opens window for sending email tobias.schaeffter(at)ptb.de