Course description
The purpose of this course is to provide the students with an introduction to ionizing radiation and its use in medicine and biology. Covered topics include production of radiation, interactions with matter, measurements, and biological effects. Some applications will also be discussed.
Course outline:
- Ionizing radiation: Isotopes and radioactive decays
- Production of ionizing radiation
- Particle accelerators
- Radiation interaction with matter
- Interaction of charged particles and neutrons with matter
- Radiation quantities and units in medical physics
- Radiation detectors
- Medical imaging with ionizing radiation (X-rays, SPECT, PET, …)
- Biological effects of ionizing radiation
- Basics of radiation therapy (photon- and hadron-therapy) and radiation protection
The course includes examples and exercises.
