PHS2510

Medical physics

(SCI)

Not offered in 2002

Associate Professor Peter Wells

6 points + First and/or second semester + Clayton + 3 hours of lectures, 2 hours of practical sessions, problem classes or demonstrations per week, and 1 hour of tutorial/ simulation exercises per week + Prerequisites: 6 points of first year physics

Synopsis: This subject provides students with an appreciation and understanding of some introductory biophysics and of the physical principles underpinning some modern medical imaging modalities. Concepts include introductory biophysics including vision and hearing; atomic physics and nuclear physics, radioactivity and statistics; interaction of radiation with matter and the linear attenuation coefficient; radiation dose, safety and regulations, counters and dosimetry; x-ray production and general film/ screen radiography; introduction to tomographic imaging modalities; computed tomography and image reconstruction; and basic digital image processing, storage and retrieval.

Assessment: Examination (3 hours): 60% + Tutorial activities: 15% + Laboratory exercises including 3 laboratory reports of about 1800 words each: 25%