Syllabus for Radiation Protection and Medical Effects

Learning outcomes

The course will prepare the students for continued studies within the Master programme in Medical Nuclide Techniques. After passed course it is expected that the student can

• describe different types of ionising radiation, sources/production and their physical and biological characteristics
• describe the function and use of radiation protection instruments and detectors
• explain the theoretical background to the nuclide chart and use this knowledge to describe radioactive decays and production of nuclides
• use portable radiation protection instruments and interpret the obtained data
• explain units, concepts, rules, guidelines and threshold values for ionising radiation
• control standardized calculation methods for dosimetry, gamma constant, MIRD
• describe radiation-induced DNA lesions and describe cellular repair and formation of chromosomal aberrations
• explain clonogenic survival, radiation sensitivity and principles for modification of radiation response
• describe acute and late biological and medical effects of radiation
• describe the risks of ionising radiation
• describe the principles for radiation treatment of tumours and the therapeutic use of radionuclides.

In addition the student should have obtained understanding of how to plan and conduct and evaluate scientific investigations, how ethical legislation is applied and how research and scientific results are communicated to society

Content

• Basic physical aspects on ionising radiation
• Sources of ionising radiation, radioactive nuclides
• Interactions between ionising radiation and matter
• Radiation detectors
• Radiation quality, Stopping power, LET and photon attenuation
• Calculations and regulations for radiation protection, weight factors
• Interactions between radiation and biological matter, radiation sensitivity and principles for modification of radiation response
• Acute and long-term biological effects and protection against radiation effects
• Molecular and cellular effects regarding DNA damage, repair, gene activation
• Radiation-induced cell death, models and methods to measure biological effects of radiation, predictive assays
• Background radiation to relate to effects on the molecular and cellar targets
• Relative biological effectiveness (RBE), Auger-effects etc.
• Introduction to radiotherapy of tumours and therapeutic use of radionuclides
• Basic physical processes like Coulomb interactions, bremsstrahlung, photo and Compton effects as well as pair production
• Measuring methods; scintillators, ion chamber, TLD, diodes, film etc.
• Definition of dosimetric units; absorbed dose, kerma, fluence, equivalent dose, effective dose
• Simple dosimetric calculation methods used in radiation protection; gamma constant
• Internal dosimetry of radionuclides (MIRD)

During a series of lectures given jointly for other medical Master programs, you will also get an insight in a number of general science-related topics

Instruction

Lectures, exercises and compulsory laboratory training.

Assessment

The course will end with a written examination. A passing grade for the entire course also requires passing grade for laboratory training. The grades "Pass" or "Fail" are given.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.