radiation physics, radiopharmacy

The student receives a thorough knowledge and insight in the principles of nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry forming the base of the medical applications of ionizing radiation. External radiation beams used in the treatment of patients in radiation therapy and in medical imaging are considered as well as the administration of radioactive labeled compounds in patients in nuclear medicine applications.
This course learns the student to work out solutions for biomedical problems based on biological, medical and technical considerations. In this framework the student learns to reply in an adequate way to a concrete question, which is relevant to the medical sciences, based on the actual scientific and medical knowledge in the field.

• Overview of the radioactive decay modes with applications in medicine: nuclear medical imaging, radionuclide therapy, brachytherapy, in vitro applications.
• Basic laws of radioactive decay with application in radionuclide generators.
• Interaction mechanisms of radiation with matter and tissues.
• Attenuation of X-rays as base of radiology.
• Ionisation density in the framework of radiation biology.
• Overview of the metrology of radioactivity and ionizing radiation.
• Spectral analysis.
• Production of radionuclides for medical purposes in a reactor and cyclotron.
• Radiochemical, radionuclide, chemical and biological purity and the techniques used for this analysis.
• Basics of radiochemistry: technetium-radiochemistry, complexes, PET radiochemistry

Having successfully completed the courses Physics, Cytology and general histology, Introduction to biology and genetics, Biological model systems and Cell biology from the bachelor program biomedical sciences, or having acquired the relevant ending objectives by other means.

Knowledge and insight in the physical and chemical base of the medical applications of radiation

Syllabus (dutch, less than 20 euro).

• The Physics of diagnostic imaging D.J. Dowsett ( Chapman & Hall Medical )
• Radiotherapy physics in practice J.R. Williams & D.I. Thwaites ( Oxford Medical Publications).

Classroom lectures

Evaluation during examination period

During examination period: oral closed-book exam, written preparation