medical radiation dosimetry, radiation protection

The student learns the basic principles of theoretical and clinical radiation dosimetry with the medical applications in the field of radiotherapy and patient dosimetry in radiology and nuclear medicine. This course deals also with the practical knowledge for the reduction of the radiation burden of the patient, practician and members of the public to a minimum. After a detailed overview of measures and procedures for dose reduction, the legislation with respect to radiation protection is discussed. 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.

• The radiological units with respective relations, with reference to dosimetry standards and their applications in medicine.
• Overview of techniques and instrumentation used in clinical dosimetry: ionometry, thermoluminescence dosimetry, semiconductor detectors, radiographic and radiochromic film, phantoms.
• Reference dosimetry in radiotherapy: principles and clinical protocols for low and high energy X-ray beams and electron beams.
• Dosimetry in radiology: specific quantities and procedures for patient dosimetry with special attention to pediatrics, interventional radiology and cardiology and screening.
• Compartmentmodel analysis for biodistributions as the basic method for dosimetry in nuclear medical applications of radionuclides.
• Dosimetry at the cellular and subcellular level.
• Basic standards of radiation protection with respect to the limitation of doses.
• Physical and medical control, general protection measures and procedures.
• Measures and legislation with respect to the medical applications of ionising radiation
• Diagnostic reference levels of diagnostic investigations frequently applied in radiology and nuclear medicine.

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

• The student has theoretical knowledge and insight in patient dosimetry and radiation protection for medical applications.
• The student has the practical knowledge for dose determination in patients in radiotherapy, radiology and nuclear medicine.

Syllabus (dutch), legislation with respect to radiation protection (10 Euro).

• Radiation dosimetry (G. Shani, CRC Press, 2001)
• Radiation protection in the health sciences (M. Noz & G.Q. Maguire World scientific, 2007)

After electronic appointment with the lecturer

Classroom lectures;

Evaluation during examination period

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