Hospital Physics
Code: 106071 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2500097 Physics | OT | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Immaculada Martínez Rovira
- Email:
- immaculada.martinez@uab.cat
Teachers
- Carlos Domingo Miralles
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
It is very convenient to have previously performed the Radiation Physics course in order to know the physical principles of the interaction of radiation with matter and the principles of operation of radiation detectors.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Medical physics is concerned with providing the scientific basis for the use of diagnostic and therapy technologies (conventional radiology, computerized and digital radiology, magnetic resonance imaging, tomography, radiotherapy, particle accelerators, etc.), establishing criteria for the correct use of the physical agents used (ionizing radiation, microwaves, lasers, etc.), to set criteria for the radiological protection of workers and patients, to participate in the design of auxiliary instrumentation and establish standards for the measurement of many biological variables. Physicists perform specific healthcare tasks in hospitals, such as planning treatments with ionizing radiation, controlling radiology equipment, designing and controlling radiological facilities, or controlling staff and areas exposed to radiation.
The figure of the physicist working in hospitals performing this type of tasks is legislated since the physics residency program was created. Through this program, the physicist develops a training period of 3 years in a hospital, through which the specialty of Hospital Radiophysicist is obtained, which entitles him to the professional development of the aforementioned tasks.
Thus, the main objective of this subject is to provide knowledge in medical physics, as well as to train the students for the professional career of Hospital Radiophysicist. These objectives are specified in:
- To study the concepts of metrology and dosimetry of ionizing radiation
- To know the physical principles of diagnostic imaging
- To study the physical principles and practical applications of nuclear medicine
- To know the physical principles on which radiation therapy is based
- To study the principles of radiological protection, as well as the magnitudes and units used in the radiological protection system
- To study the effects of ionizing radiation on organisms
- To apply the concepts learned in a real hospital physics department
Competences
- Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
- Apply fundamental principles to the qualitative and quantitative study of various specific areas in physics
- Be familiar with the bases of certain advanced topics, including current developments on the parameters of physics that one could subsequently develop more fully
- Carry out academic work independently using bibliography (especially in English), databases and through collaboration with other professionals
- Communicate complex information in an effective, clear and concise manner, either orally, in writing or through ICTs, and before both specialist and general publics
- Formulate and address physical problems identifying the most relevant principles and using approximations, if necessary, to reach a solution that must be presented, specifying assumptions and approximations
- Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
- Plan and perform, using appropriate methods, study, research or experimental measure and interpret and present the results.
- Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Use critical reasoning, show analytical skills, correctly use technical language and develop logical arguments
- Using appropriate methods, plan and carry out a study or theoretical research and interpret and present the results
- Work independently, have personal initiative and self-organisational skills in achieving results, in planning and in executing a project
- Working in groups, assume shared responsibilities and interact professionally and constructively with others, showing absolute respect for their rights.
Learning Outcomes
- Carry out a hospital visit, visit the main medical services with radiation-emitting equipment and carry out some kind of test to understand the way they work.
- Communicate complex information in an effective, clear and concise manner, either orally, in writing or through ICTs, in front of both specialist and general publics.
- Explain the explicit or implicit code of practice of one's own area of knowledge.
- From the point of view of radiological protection, characterise a radioactive installation with medical applications (radio diagnostic, nuclear medicine, radiotherapy, etc.).
- Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
- Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within one's own area of knowledge.
- Plan radiation or exposure for the elimination or characterisation of different types of tumour.
- Understand the bases of conventional therapy using radiation.
- Understand the different types of accelerators, radiation-emitting equipment and radioactive sources for medical applications.
- Understand the effects of ionizing radiation on living beings.
- Understand the physical principles of diagnostic imaging techniques.
- Understand the physical principles of nuclear medicine.
- Use critical reasoning, show analytical skills, correctly use technical language and develop logical arguments
- Work independently, take initiative itself, be able to organize to achieve results and to plan and execute a project.
- Working in groups, assume shared responsibilities and interact professionally and constructively with others, showing absolute respect for their rights.
- Carry out academic work independently using bibliography (especially in English), databases and through collaboration with other professionals
Content
- Metrology and dosimetry of radiation
- External exposure. Radionuclides incorporated into the body. Radiation-matter interactions.
- Fundamentals of radiobiology
- Radiobiology at the subcellular level. Radiobiology at the cellular level. Clinical radiobiology.
- Radiological protection
- Biological basis of radiological safety. Safety guides. Protection against external irradiation. Protection against internal irradiation. Radiation control measures. Radiological protection applied to X-ray equipment and nuclear medicine. Protection against non-ionizing radiation.
- Radiation therapy
- Introduction and history of radiotherapy. External radiotherapy with photons and electrons. External radiotherapy with ions. Brachytherapy. Treatment planning in radiotherapy. Other radiotherapy techniques.
- Diagnostic imaging
- Basic concepts. X-ray production. Radiography. Mammography. Fluoroscopy. Computed tomography (CT). X-ray dosimetry. Magnetic resonance. Ultrasounds.
- Nuclear medicine
- Introduction to nuclear medicine and production of radiopharmaceuticals. Gammagraphy and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Positron emission tomography (PET). Image processing in nuclear medicine.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Laboratory demonstrations | 6 | 0.24 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 15 |
| Problems solving at the classroom | 10 | 0.4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14 |
| Theory lectures | 27 | 1.08 | 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Filed visits: visiting real premises related to Hospital Physics | 6 | 0.24 | 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Bibliographic tasks and problems | 21 | 0.84 | 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 |
| Preparing the practical reports and the field visit report | 16 | 0.64 | 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16 |
| Search for information and studying | 61 | 2.44 | 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 |
The course has presential classes divided into theory, problems, laboratory practices and field practices. It is highly recommended to attend the theory and problem classes, and it is mandatory to attend and perform the laboratory practices and attend field practices.
During the course, the realization of directed activities will be considered, both of a more theoretical nature (bibliographic research and realization of works) and of a practical nature (problem solving and research of experimental data).
The student will have to dedicate an important part of the time in the extension of the knowledge given in the lectures and in the personal study.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control tests during the course | 40% | 3 | 0.12 | 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 |
| Evaluation of demonstrations and field visits | 20% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16 |
| Evaluation of supervised tasks and problems | 40% | 0 | 0 | 2, 4, 5, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16 |
Continuous assessment
Given the eminently applied nature of the subject and the fact that the problems to be solved require time and information that is difficult to have in a classroom, the existence of "classic" partial exams is NOT considered. The evaluation of the subject will be done with three types of activities:
1.- Tests of control and continuous evaluation that will be made during the course. By its nature, replay is not possible. Typically 3 tests will be performed throughout the course. The overall weight of this activity is 40%.
2.- Evaluation of the laboratory and field practices. Based on the corresponding reports and the evaluation carried out by the teachers during the practises. The realization of the practices is an indispensable requirement to pass the course. The weight of this activity is 25%.
3.- Evaluation of the works and directed problems. With an overall weight on the grade of 40%. The directed problems that will have to be delivered during the course will have a weight of 15% and a work that will have to be delivered at the end of the course will have a weight of 25%.
In order to pass the course it is mandatory to have a mark of all the evaluable activities.
Single assessment
For the students who have taken the single assessment modality, the attendance to the laboratory and field practices is compulsory. The delivery date of the corresponding reports will coincide with that of the final exam.
Students who have taken the single assessment modality will also have to perform the end-of-course work and deliver it the same day as the final exam.
Students who are part of the single assessment modality must take a final test that will consist of an exam with problems, in addition to answering a multiple-choice questionnaire. These tests will take place on the same day, time and place as the second partial exam.
The student's grade will be the weighted average of the previous activities, in which the exam with problems will account for 25% of the mark, the questionnaire 30%, the end-of-course work 25% and the reports of the laboratory practices 20%.
If the final mark does not reach 5, the student has another opportunity to pass the subject through the recovery exam that will be held on the date set by the coordination of the degree. In this test it will be possible to recover 55% of the mark corresponding to the questionnaire and problems. The part of the end-of-course work and laboratory reports is not recoverable.
Bibliography
A. Brosed. Fundamentos de Física Médica. Sociedad Española de Física Médica. ISBN: 978-84-938016-1-8
M. C. Joiner, A. J. van der Kogel. Basic Clinical Radiobiology. CRC Press, 2018. ISBN: 9781444179637
J.T. Bushberg, J.A. Seibert, E.M. Leidholdt Jr., J.M. Boone. The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging (3rd edition). Wolters Kluwer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-7817-8057-5
H. Cember, T.E. Johnson. Introduction to Health Physics (4th edition). Mc. Graw Hill Medical. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-07-164323-8
F.M. Khan. The Physics of Radiation Therapy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2003. ISBN: 0-78 17-3065-1
E. Podgorsak. Radiation Oncology Physics: A Handbook for Teachers and Students. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, 2005. ISBN: 92–0–107304–6. Accesible throug the IAEA webpage: https://www-pub.iaea.org/mtcd/publications/pdf/pub1196_web.pdf
Software
Specific software is not required.
Language list
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |
| (PCAM) Field practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |
| (PLAB) Practical laboratories | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |