Física da Radiação e Imagem Médica

Audiovisual presentation of materials in theoretical classes, complemented by solving illustrative problems in theoretical-practical classes.
Assessment through the mandatory or optional final written exams foreseen in the regulations in force at ISEC. In addition, partial exams may be carried out during the academic period. Students will pass by obtaining in the exam a score equal to or greater than 9,500 in 20 values of maximum score.

Introduction to the physics of ionizing radiation, its dosimetry and radioprotection, and its application in a clinical context.
Understanding the main modalities of medical imaging, ionizing and non-ionizing, their physical and algorithmic principles, their technical characteristics and their main applications. Recognize the scanners for each imaging modality and their generic internal organization.

1.    Structure of matter
1.1.    Constitution of the atom
1.2.    Constitution of the nucleus
1.3.    Isotopes, isomers and isobars
1.4.    Electronic energy levels
1.5.    Nuclear energy levels
2.    Nuclear decay
2.1.    Radioactive decay laws
2.2.    Secular balance
2.3.    Alpha decay
2.4.    Decay with proton and neutron emission
2.5.    Spontaneous fission
2.6.    Beta decay (plus and minus) and electronic capture
2.7.    Gamma decay and internal conversion
3.    Interaction of radiation with matter
3.1.    Interaction of photons with matter
3.1.1.    Rayleigh scatter
3.1.2.    Compton dispersion
3.1.3.    Photoelectric effect
3.1.4.    Production of pairs
3.1.5.    Absorption and attenuation of a photon beam
3.2.    Interaction of electrons and positrons with matter
3.2.1.    Inelastic dispersion
3.2.2.    Elastic dispersion
3.2.3.    Annihilation radiation
3.3.    Interaction of heavy charged particles with matter
3.4.    Interaction of neutral heavy particles with matter
4.    Principles of dosimetry
4.1.    Quantities and units of measurement in radiation dosimetry
4.1.1.    Exposure
4.1.2.    Absorbed dose
4.1.3.    Quality factor
4.2.    Biological effect of absorbed dose
4.3.    Radioprotection: operational, public.
5.    Radiation in a medical context
5.1.    Radiotherapy
5.2.    Imaging
6.    Radiation detectors
6.1.    Requirements for radiation detectors used in medical applications
6.2.    Photo film
6.3.    Gaseous detectors
6.4.    Scintilation detectors and photodetectors
6.5.    Solid state detectors
6.6.    Stimulated photoluminescence detectors
7.    General principles of imaging
7.1.    Morphological vs. Functional
7.2.    Projective vs. tomographic
8.    Transmission Imaging (X-Rays and CT)
8.1.    Physical principles
8.2.    The X-Ray tube
8.3.    Mechanism and characteristics of X-ray emission
8.4.    Half-layer and effective energy
8.5.    Projective radiography
8.6.    X-ray detection and image formation
8.6.1.    Conventional radiography
8.6.2.    Digital radiography
8.6.3.    Fluoroscopy
8.7.    Computerized Tomography (CT)
8.7.1.    CT principle
8.7.2.    Fourier transform of an image (2D) and main relevant properties
8.7.3.    Filtered Back-projection Reconstruction (FBP)
8.7.4.    What is measured in CT
8.7.5.    The different generations of CT scanner technology
8.7.6.    Detectors for CT
9.    Emission Imaging (Nuclear Medicine)
9.1.    Production of radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals
9.1.1.    Generators
9.1.2.    Accelerators
9.1.3.    Reactors
9.1.4.    Synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals
9.2.    Scintigraphy
9.2.1.    The gamma camera
9.2.2.    Photon detection
9.2.3.    Collimators
9.2.4.    Historical note: the “Anger camera”
9.2.5.    Acquisition system
9.3.    Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)
9.3.1.    Acquisition mode
9.3.2.    Storage mode
9.3.3.    Image reconstruction
9.4.    Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
9.4.1.    Generation of photon pairs
9.4.2.    Photon detection
9.4.3.    Acquisition modes
9.4.4.    Background noise
9.4.5.    PET scanners
9.4.6.    Counting noise
9.4.7.    Behavior of FBP reconstruction with counting noise
9.4.8.    MLEM iterative algorithm
10.    Ultrasound Imaging
10.1.    Basic principles
10.2.    Transducers
10.3.    Presentation modes
10.4.    Factors affecting the signal-noise ratio
10.5.    Factors affecting the spatial resolution
10.6.    Eco-doppler
10.7.    Contrasting agents
11.    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
11.1.    Physical principles
11.2.    Imaging principles
11.3.    MRI scanners
11.4.    Acquisition sequences
11.5.    Contrast agents

NAO

    Física em Medicina Nuclear, J. J. Pedroso Lima, Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, 2008, ISBN: 978-989-8074-26-3
    Introduction to biomedical imaging, Andrew Webb, Wiley-Interscience, ISBN: 0-471-23766-3.
    Introduction to biomedical engineering, John D. Enderle, Susan M. Blanchard, Joseph D. Bronzino, Elsevier, Amsterdam, ISBN:  978-0-12-238662-6.
    Advances in Digital Radiography: Physical Principles and System Overview, Markus Körner et al., RadioGraphics 2007; 27:675–686 ● Published online 10.1148/rg.273065075.
    Simulation Study of a Wide Axial Field Of View Positron Emission Tomography System Based on Resistive Plate Chamber Detectors, Miguel Couceiro, PhD Thesis, 2014. (Available online: http://hdl.handle.net/10316/23827.)