PX2237: Radiation in Medical Diagnosis
| School | Cardiff School of Physics & Astronomy |
| Department Code | PHYSX |
| Module Code | PX2237 |
| External Subject Code | 100419 |
| Number of Credits | 10 |
| Level | L5 |
| Language of Delivery | English |
| Module Leader | Dr William Evans |
| Semester | Spring Semester |
| Academic Year | 2014/5 |
Outline Description of Module
- To give an overview of ionising radiation, radioactivity and the interaction of radiation with matter.
- To introduce the concept of radiation dose.
- To describe the operation and properties of detectors of ionising radiation.
- To provide an introduction to the physical basis of the use of ionising radiation for diagnosis in radiology and nuclear medicine.
On completion of the module a student should be able to
- Identify the means by which ionising radiation interacts with matter and outline how the attenuation of radiation depends on the properties of the radiation and the material with which it interacts.
- Describe the basic features of radioactivity.
- Define the meaning of radiation dose and outline the principles of radiation dosimetry.
- Describe the principles of operation of radiation detectors and how detector properties determine application.
- Discuss the basic principles of diagnostic radiography and nuclear medicine.
- Define contrast, spatial resolution and noise as indices of image quality and discuss their application in radiographic and radionuclide projection imaging.
How the module will be delivered
Lectures 22 x 1 hr, marked exercises.
Skills that will be practised and developed
Problem solving. Investigative skills. Mathematics. Analytical skills.
How the module will be assessed
Examination 90%. Coursework 10%. [Examination duration: 2 hours].
Assessment Breakdown
| Type | % | Title | Duration(hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam - Spring Semester | 80 | Radiation In Medical Diagnosis | 2 |
| Written Assessment | 20 | Radiation In Medical Diagnosis | N/A |
Syllabus content
Radiation Physics: Atomic structure of matter. Ionising radiation in the form of high energy particles and photons. Interaction of ionising radiation with matter. Electron energy loss by collision and bremsstrahlung. Coherent scattering, Compton scattering, photoelectric effect and pair production in x and gamma photons. Attenuation coefficients.
Radioactivity: Nuclear structure and instability. Modes of radioactive decay. Decay scheme diagrams. Half-life. Units of activity.
Radiation Dose: Absorbed dose, equivalent dose and effective dose. Units of radiation dose. Effects of ionising radiation on living organisms. Hazards and risks. Background radiation.
Radiation detectors: Principles of radiation detection. Types of radiation detector: ionisation chamber, Geiger-Muller tube, scintillation and semiconductor detectors. Radiation spectra. Properties of radiation detectors: efficiency, sensitivity, energy resolution, count-rate response. Detector electronics and spectral analysis. Counting statistics.
Diagnostic Radiology: Construction and operation of x-ray tubes. Radiation spectra and beam filtration. Image receptors. Screen-film, computed and digital radiography. Dual-energy methods. Fluoroscopy. Image quality and radiation dosimetry in radiography and fluoroscopy.
Nuclear Medicine: Natural and artificial radionuclides and their properties. Reactor, cyclotron and generator production. Tracer techniques using radiopharmaceuticals. Radioactivity counters. Measurement of volume, uptake and clearance. Gamma camera. Image quality in radionuclide imaging. Radiation dosimetry in nuclear medicine.
Essential Reading and Resource List
Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering; B H Brown, R H Smallwood, D C Barber, P V Lawford and D R Hose. (1999, Institute of Physics Publishing).
Physics for Diagnostic Radiology (3rd edition); P Dendy and B Heaton. (2012, CRC Press).
An Introduction to Radiation Protection (5th edition); A Martin and S A Harbison. (2006, Hodder Arnold).
Background Reading and Resource List
Not applicable.