Syllabus
Home Up Teaching Research Medical Physics

 

 

 

 

Course Title

:

Radioisotopes in Medicine and Biology

Course Code

:

MEPH 563

Credit Hours

:

3 (2 Lectures + 1 Lab)

Prerequisites

:

Graduate Standing

     

Course Description

Basic physics of nuclear science; radiation detection and measurement; tracers and radiopharmaceuticals; nuclear medicine instrumentation; clinical nuclear medicine.

 

Main Textbook

* Physics in Nuclear Medicine. S.R. Cherry, J.A. Sorenson, and M.E. Phelps. 3rd edition. 2003 Saunders.

 

References

* Positron Emission Tomography.  Valk et al

 

[RC78.7.T62 P687 2003]

* Nuclear Medicine: The RequisitesThrall and Ziessman  

[R895.T498 2001]

* Radiation Safety in Nuclear Medicine.  Lombardi  

[ERL RC78.7 R4L65 1999]

* Essentials of Nuclear Medicine Imaging. Mettler and Guiberteau

 

[RC78.7.R4M47 1998]

* Nuclear Medicine: Technology and Techniques.  Bernier et al  

[R895.N84 1997]

 

Teaching Tools

* Computer presentations

* Blackboard

* Transparencies

* Internet online courses

* Group discussions

* Tours of RI, CAPS, and Aramco hospital

 

Assessment

Activity

Weight

Homework 10%
Lab Reports 15%
Exam #1 25%
Exam #2 25%
Final Exam 25%

 

Grading

Grade

Mark

A+ ≥89
A 82-88
B+ 75-81
B 68-74
C+ 61-67
C 54-60
D+ 47-53
D 40-46
F <40

 

Laboratory Content

Session

Experiment Title

1.

The Neutron Generator

2.

Determination of Radioisotope Half-Life

3.

The Gaussian Distribution

4.

Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy using NaI(Tl) and HPGe Detectors

5.

Efficiency Measurement of High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) Detector

6.

Activated Aluminum Decay Scheme

7.

Gamma-Gamma Coincidence

8.

Clinical Nuclear Medicine

 

Course Content

Session

Topic

1.

What is Nuclear Medicine?

2.

Basic Atomic and Nuclear Physics

3.

Modes of Radioactive Decay

4.

Decay of Radioactivity

5.

Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceutical Production

6.

Radionuclides for Nuclear Medicine

7.

Interaction of Radiation with Matter

8.

Radiation Detectors

9.

Electronic Instrumentation for Radiation Detection Systems

10.

Nuclear Counting Statistics

11.

Pulse Height Spectroscopy

12.

Problems in Radiation Detection and Measurement

13.

Counting Systems

14.

The Gamma Camera: Basic Principles

15.

The Gamma Camera: Performance Characteristics

 16.

Image Quality in Nuclear Medicine

17.

Tomographic Reconstruction in Nuclear Medicine

18.

Single Photon Emission Tomography

19.

Performance and Quality Assurance of SPECT Systems

20.

Positron Emission Tomography

21.

PET Detector and Scanner Designs

22.

Data Acquisition for PET

23.

Digital Image Processing in Nuclear Medicine

24.

Tracer Kinetic Modeling

25.

Internal Radiation Dosimetry

26.

Radiation Safety and Health Physics

27.

Clinical Nuclear Medicine Practice

28.

Brain, Cardiology, Oncology, Endocrinology, Rest of the Body