Aim

Teaching of basic principles of Physics which are related to: a) the use of radiation in Medicine, b) the medical technology used in diagnosis and therapy and c) the functions of the human body.

Learning outcomes

The student, at the end of the 1st semester, must have the following knowledge and skills:

• Understanding the kinds of interactions of ionizing radiation with matter.
• Diagnostic applications of X-rays in Medicine and Dentistry. The student will be able to understand the critical parameters that affect the image quality and furthermore the diagnosis in medical applications of X-rays.
• Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation. The student will be able to understand the biological effects of ionizing radiation and the mechanisms that cause these effects.
• Basic knowledge of radiation protection.  The student will be able to understand basic principles of radiation protection concerning the dose to the staff working with ionizing radiation as well as the dose to the examines-patients and he will be able to take basic measures to decrease it.
• Radiopharmaceuticals and basic principles of Nuclear Medicine. The student will be able to understand the radiopharmaceuticals that are used in Medicine for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and the mechanisms with which they are discharged from the body.
• Ultrasound. The student will be able to understand the basic principles of ultrasound (production, interaction with matter), as well as the way it is used in diagnosis and how the image is produced.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The student will be able to understand the basic principles and the way the image is produced in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. He will be also able to distinguish the differences among different pulse sequences used.
• Physical principles of Radiotherapy. The student will be able to understand the radiotherapy techniques that are used in the fight against cancer and he will be able to compare these techniques.
• Biological Effects of Non-Ionizing Radiation. The student will be able to understand the biological effects of non-ionizing radiation and the mechanisms that cause these effects.
• Physics of the Human Body. The student will be able to understand the basic principles that are related with the functions of the human body.   

Content

Medical Radiation Physics includes the chapters: Elements of modern Physics. Interaction of radiation with matter. Elements of dosimetry and biological effects of ionizing radiation. Elements of radiation protection. Radiography. Dental Radiography. Mammography. Computed tomography. Nuclear Medicine. Positron Emission Tomography. Therapeutic applications of ionizing radiation (Radiotherapy).
Radiation applications of non-ionizing radiation include the chapters: Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Ultrasound.
Physics of the Human Body includes the chapters: Muscles and forces. Physics of the skeleton. Pressure in the body. Physics of the cardiovascular system. Electrical signals of the body. Sound and speech. Physics of the Ear and Hearing. Physics of the Eyes and Vision.

Educational methods

• Lectures.
• Laboratory exercise.

Criteria for successful completion

• Successful final examination.