Medical Physics

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Express the units and terms used in radiological protection and the sources of and approximate level of exposure of the UK population
• Describe how ionising radiation interacts with matter, how it affects living organisms and how it is used as a therapeutic technique
• Define medical imaging techniques specified in the syllabus below and know where they are applied in clinical practice

Disciplinary Specific Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Solve simple mathematical problems based on any part of the syllabus

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Illustrate how non-ionising radiation can be used to image the body

The course content is organised into 3 main sections, within which theoretical background will be introduced, and the applications discussed. These main sections will be supplemented by introductory and summary/revision materials.

Section 0 - Introduction and Course Overview

Section 1 - Effects and Applications of Ionising Radiation

• Generation of radiation
• Interaction of charged particles with matter
• Interaction of high energy photons with matter
• Radiation depth of interaction, range, attenuation curves
• Dose, Radiation safety, shielding,
• Application - health physics and radiation protection
• Dose from common risk factors
• Biological effects and cell damage models
• Application - Radiotherapy methods
• Application - Radiotherapy planning

Section 2 - Imaging with Ionising Radiation

• Imaging concepts (pixels, voxels) and quality metrics (resolution, contrast)
• Image processing (spatial frequency information, filtering, edge detection)
• Concepts for detection of radiation (semiconductor detectors, scintillators)
• Gamma cameras and PET detectors
• Tomographic reconstructions (basic concept, maths, and reconstruction techniques)
• Application - Radiology - Planar imaging and CT
• Application - Nuclear medicine - Planar imaging, SPECT and PET

Section 3 - Imaging with Non-ionising Radiation

• Theory of ultrasound, sound wave propagation, reflection
• Ultrasound transducers
• Doppler ultrasound
• Application - Ultrasound applications and practical issues
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Application - MRI image formation

Section 4 - Conclusions and revision lecture(s)

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Problem Sheets

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback: Model answers will be provided 2 weeks after problem sheets are available.
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No
• Percentage contribution: 50%

Quizzes

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback: Quizzes provide immediate feedback on progress on each component of the course.
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No
• Percentage contribution: 50%

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.