Physics Applied to Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy

Atomic and Nuclear Physics (1st year IMR)

2 hours of theoretical class per week, where the professor exposes the subject’s programmatic content, using the illustration of the physical concepts presented with examples.

1 hour of theoretical-practical class per week, where students (separated into shifts with a maximum of 20 students) discuss application exercises formulated with the aim of clarifying and relate the subjects discussed to the specificity of Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy.

Knowledge:
• Physical principles underlying the imaging and radiotherapy techniques, considering the effective, efficient and safe use of the equipment in professional practice
• Physics of radiation, production and interaction with radiation matter.
• ALARA principle, standards in radiological protection
• Calculation of barriers and radiological protection measures
• Physical principles of ultrasonography
Skills:
• Use of advanced knowledge of Radiation Physics while using the technology involved in medical imaging and radiotherapy
• Safe, effective and efficient use of radiation and means of protection of professionals and patients
Competences:
• Make Individual decisions and in multidisciplinary environment in matters that involve technical and scientific knowledge based on Radiation Physics and radiological protection
• Develop the ability to deepen and expand knowledge in radiation physics and radiological protection.

1 RADIATION in MATTER

Interaction radiation-matter; biological effects

Fundamental Dosimetry

2 PHYSICS and TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTION OF X-RAY

Physics of X radiation production: Bremsstrahlung effect and radiation characteristic

Tube; Accelerators

3 INTERACTION OF PHOTONS WITH MATTER

Photoelectric and Compton effects, peer production

Absorption and attenuation coefficients; scattered radiation; radiological effect

Energy radiation beam deposition

4 DETECTION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION

Statistical nature and Poisson noise

Detectors in radiology and nuclear medicine

Ionization chambers and detection of high energy photons

5 IMAGE PHYSICS

Physical principles of tomographic reconstruction; CT, SPECT, PET, MRI

Physical characterization of imaging systems

6 ACCELERATORS and PARTICLE BEAMS

Corpuscular radiation and interaction with matter

Cyclotrons; Accelerators in Radiotherapy

Therapy with hadrons

7 NON-IONIZING RADIATION

Mechanical waves and ultrasound principles

8 RADIATION PROTECTION

Fundamental principles and ALARA philosophy

Regulamentar structure and mechanism of radiation protection

NAO

PRINCIPAL:

PEDROSO DE LIMA, Técnicas de diagnóstico com Raios X
Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra (2005)

PEDROSO DE LIMA, Física em Medicina Nuclear
Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra (2008)

COMPLEMENTAR:

FAIZ KHAN, The Physics of radiation therapy

Williams & Wilkins (2003)