| CODE | MPH3001 | ||||||
| TITLE | Introduction to Medical Physics | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Medical Physics | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Medical Physics is one of the fastest developing areas of applied physics and the presence of a Medical Physicist is essential for the development of high quality and safe healthcare services particularly in high technology areas of medicine. This unit will provide an overview of the subject and a foundation for students who are considering further studies in the area. We will survey the multitude of applications of physics in medicine (from Roentgen’s discovery of X-rays to the future promise of nanotechnology) plus a more in-depth treatment of x-ray, radionuclide and particle beam physics as applied to the diagnosis of disease and treatment of cancer. The scope includes a short history of medical physics and future directions; radiation physics fundamentals and principles of dosimetry; concepts of radiation safety and principles of radiation detection and measurements; radiation biology and health effects of ionising radiation; basic medical image processing and treatment planning. There will be an emphasis on the theoretical physics aspects and clinical application of methods and technologies used in clinical medical physics in the medical specialties of Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Oncology and Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (also known as Medical Imaging). Study-unit Aims The aims of the study-unit are: 1. To provide an overview of the development of medical physics from the discovery of x-rays to nanotechnological applications in medicine. 2. To provide a more in-depth treatment of radiation (ionising and non-ionising) physics as applied to the diagnosis of disease and treatment of cancer. 3. To describe the role of the Medical Physicist and Medical Physics Expert in medicine. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Describe the history of medical physics and future developments with respect to medical devices and protection from associated physical agents (particularly ionising and non-ionising radiations). 2. Describe the roles and responsibilities of medical physicists in a clinical setting and the range of career opportunities within and outside academia. 3. Explain the main principles and methods of Radiation Physics and Dosimetry including: a) Radioactivity and sources of radiation; b) Interaction of radiation with matter; c) X-ray production; d) Physical principles of dosimetry; e) Radiation units and measurements. 4. Explain the principles and methods of Radiation Protection including: a) Physical and biological concepts on the safe use of ionising radiation vis-a-vis both patient and workers; b) Physical principles underlying shielding design and instrumentation; c) International and national legislation for radiation protection. 5. Explain the principles of Radiation Biology including: a) Physical, chemical and biological effects of radiation in human tissue; b) Factors affecting dose response of human tissue; c) Models describing characteristic behaviour of human tissue in response to radiation. 6. Explain the physical principles underlying the medical devices used in: a) Computed tomography (CT) and projection radiography (including mammography and fluoroscopy); b) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); c) Ultrasound imaging. 7. Explain the physics of Nuclear Medicine including: a)The physics, function and key components of the Gamma Camera, SPECT and PET; b) The physics of cyclotrons and radionuclide generators; c) Diagnostic and therapeutic applications of radioisotopes; d) Multi-modality imaging; d) MIRD model. 8. Explain the physics of Radiation Oncology (Radiotherapy) including the theoretical and practical aspects of: a) The design, function and key components of medical devices used to produce therapeutic beams of radiation (kV units, Cobalt units, Linear Accelerators); b) Calibration and characterisation of radiation therapy beams; c) Principles of treatment planning; d) Dose calculations and reporting; e) Physics of brachytherapy. 9.Explain the physics of lasers and its application in medicine including a) Properties of laser light, lasing process; b) Optical properties of tissues (absorption, scattering, refraction); c) Distribution of light in tissues. (fluence rate); d) Mechanisms of laser-tissue interaction (thermal, photochemical, photomechanical); e) Applications of lasers in medicine (diagnostic & therapeutic). 10. Explain the physics of microwave/RF related to medical applications including: a) Microwaves-tissue interaction (permittivity & permeability); b) Dielectric properties of tissues (frequency dependence - alpha-, beta-, & gamma dispersion); c) Medical applications (applications in oncology - use in medical linear accelerators, hyperthermia treatment, atrial fibrillation...). 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Integrate and apply theoretical physics concepts to real-life clinical medical physics situations; 2. Communicate the physical principles behind medical device technology and radiation safety as applied in nuclear medicine, diagnostic and interventional radiology and radiation oncology; 3. Demonstrate an insight into the clinical application of physics in medicine; 4. Apply radiation protection principles in a clinical environment; 5. Identify key factors that affect image quality and patient dose in projection radiography and CT; 6 Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the various medical imaging modalities for some medical applications; 7. Use basic image processing software and apply it to the processing of medical images; 8. Use radiation treatment planning software at a basic level. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings Suggest: Dendy PP & Heaton B. Physics for Diagnostic Radiology. CRC Press. Series in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering. Cherry SR, Sorenson JA & Phelps ME. Physics in Nuclear Medicine. Saunders. Khan FM. The Physics of Radiation Therapy. Wolters Kluwer and Lippencott Williams & Wilkins. Williams JR & Thwaites DI . Radiotherapy Physics in Practice. Oxford Medical. Smith FA. A Primer in Applied Radiation Physics. World Scientific. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite qualifications: Physics or engineering (electrical and electronic/mechanical) or communications & computer engineering final year students. | ||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Independent Study & Tutorial | ||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Mark Borg Carmel J. Caruana (Co-ord.) Lourdes Farrugia Demetrios Okkalides |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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