Course Descriptions

This course is designed to provide graduate learners the opportunity to develop an understanding of the systemic use of radiation in the treatment of cancer. This course provides learners with the detailed review of X-ray production and fundamentals of nuclear physics and radioactivity. Also included in the course will be the analysis of radiation absorption and interactions of radiation in biological materials. Further materials in this course includes ion chamber dosimetry, cavity theories, external beam therapy that includes both low and high energy therapy, proton and electron therapy, brachytherapy, dosimetry protocols, clinical process of treatment planning, monitor unit calculations, intensity-modulated radiation therapy detectors used in radiation therapy.  

This course provides the foundations and covers the mathematics, physics and instrumentation of several modern imaging modalities including X-ray imaging, computerized tomography, nuclear medicine physics (PET/SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound etc. The course also dives into the topics of image contrast, image resolution, SNR, MTF and other relevant imaging principles applied in medical imaging applications. 

Students learn about anatomic structures in various cross sections, and their underlying physiology pertaining to radiation therapy. The course covers topics on medical terminology, basic anatomy and physiology, nomenclatures of human anatomy. The major learning objective of this course is for the learners to be able to identify major organs in radiological images and understand their physiological functions. 

This course will provide basics of the biology and overview of radiation interactions and effects with cells. Topics such as cell biology, DNA damage and repair, cell survival curves, carcinogenesis, radiation genetic effects, radiation protection, tumor and normal tissue control probabilities and various other biological topics pertaining to radiation therapy and cancer treatment will be instructed. 

This course is designed to give students the basic information regarding basic radiation physics: radioactive decay, radiation producing devices, characteristics of the different types of radiation (photons, charged and uncharged particles) and mechanisms of their interactions with materials.

This course is designed to provide learners with the knowledge and technical background to understand the calculation methodology, compliance with the safety standards, and use of quantitative risk assessment for radiation protection & safety. This course also covers the topics on the fundamental principles and objectives of health physics (radiation protection), dose quantities used to evaluate human radiation risks, effects of radiation exposure and fetal risks, elementary shielding calculations and protection measures for clinical environments, the characterization and proper use of health physics instrumentation, and the regulatory and administrative requirements of health physics programs in general and clinical activities.