CCMAS Course Search

Radiation quantities: Definitions and Units; Radiation detection methods: ionization in gases; Ionization in semiconductors; Scintillation Gamma spectrometry; Neutron detection; Thermoluminescence; Film Dosimetry; Chemical dosimeter (Fricke); Particle Track detection; calorimetry; etc; counting statistics; Dosimetry: External dosimetry (gamma); Internal dosimetry; Reference Man Patient Dosimetry in radiographic examination; mammography; fluoroscopy and computed tomography

Basic principles of interaction of nuclear radiations with matter. Principles underlying instrumental methods for detection and energy determination of gamma rays, neutrons and charged particles. Applications to applied radiation physics, health physics and reactor technology. Laboratory experiments on gas-filled, scintillation and semiconductor detectors/ nuclear electronics such as pulse amplifiers, multichannel analysers and coincidence techniques; applications to neutron activation analysis. X-ray fluorescence measurement, thermal neutron cross-sections, radiation dosimetry and decay scheme determination. In-depth consideration of radiation detection systems and nuclear measurement techniques. Experiments using semiconductor devices, MCA/MSCs, sampling techniques, dosimeters, tracer techniques, and radiochemistry. Emphasis on selection of sampling techniques and instrumentation for measuring low levels of radiation in air, soil and water.

Gas, liquid and solid dosimetry materials and characterization; dose measurements. Internal dosimetry models and measurements; external dosimetry measurements and calculations.

Comparison of spontaneous and induced mutations; Mutation; selection and population fitness; Types of ionizing radiation and their cytogenetic effects; Comparison of radiation and chemical mutagenic effects; Effects of preirradiation and post irradiation; Factors modifying irradiation of successive generations; Spontaneous and induced mutations in vegetatively propagated species; Methods of utilizing induced mutations in crop improvement and propagation

The External Radiation Hazard and Protection: Time; distance and shielding; Monitoring for external radiations (areas and personal); The Internal Radiation Hazard and Protection: Sources and type of airborne contaminants; control of the internal radiation hazard; exposure reduction; internal dosimetry; Waste Management: Contamination; protection against contamination (protective clothing; decontamination); Waste disposal; packaging and safe transport of radioactive materials; Principles of Radiation Protection Justification; optimization; dose limit; international safety standards - ICRP; BSS; NNRA; Elements of Radiation Protection Programmes in Medicine and Industry: Monitoring; Emergency preparedness planning and response; QA and QC for equipment; Training; Audit; Safety of equipment

Introduction to basic properties of ionizing radiations and their uses in medicine, industry, science, and environmental studies. Natural and man-made radiation sources, energy deposition and dose calculations, various physical, chemical, and biological processes and effects of radiation with examples of their uses, and principles of radiation protection and regulations; theory and use of α, β, γ, and neutron detectors; applications in imaging and dosimetry; γ-ray spectroscopy; design and operation of automated data acquisition experiments using virtual instruments.

Basic principles, Decay schemes of Radionuclide production, cyclotron design and performance, radiopharmaceuticals, impurity levels. Equipment for nuclear medicine generators, procedures, contamination monitoring. Radioisotope image, gamma camera electronics, uniformity correction, dead time performance factors – collimators, shielding requirements, internal dosimetry. Disposal of radioactive waste. Planar imaging, PET, SPECT-PET-CT- principles of operation, procedures, dosimeter and image analysis. Designs of MR scanners: Open, closed systems. Superconductors, Permanent magnets, Resistive magnets. Cooling mechanisms, Nitrogen, Helium and many others. Oxygen levels. Oxygen gauges and meters, Oxygen displacement by helium. Loss of superconductivity. Quench, Shielding systems, The Faraday’s cage. Strength of Magnets. Magnet homogeneity. Shimming, Characteristics of the main magnet Strength of the field produced. Tesla (T). Gauss. Magnets in clinical use and in research. Parameters, image quality and trades off: SNR, Slice Thickness FOV, Matrix, NEX, Pixels and voxels. Slice thickness, slice Gap. Noise, Partial volumes. FOV, Matrix, Number of excitations, Acquisition time. TR, TE, Receive bandwidth. Spatial Encoding and Image Formation: The homogenous magnetic field, Behaviour of protons in the magnetic field, Protons and Lamour frequency, Slice direction, Phase direction and Frequency direction, Slice encoding gradient, Slice select gradient, Use of varying bandwidth, Modifying the steepness of the gradient, Gradient fields, Frequency encoding, Phase encoding, K – Space filling, Fourier transformation. Techniques --- Central Nervous System: Coil selection, Immobilisation devises, Ear defenders, Aids for claustrophobic patients—mirror glasses, eye shields, Artefact considerations, Use of saturation bands, Flow compensation, Indications for MRI in the brain and spines, Parameters and, image quality considerations, Patient positioning, Important landmarks and reference points, Protocol selection, Essential and complementary sequences, Image weighting for particular, indications, Thick and thin slices, High resolution slices, Contrast enhancement, Introduction to diffusion weighted imaging.

Overview of radioactive waste management. A study of the production, utilization, waste disposal, safeguards, and economic aspects of nuclear fuel cycles of importance in nuclear power technology. Covers waste categories, sources, treatment and disposal methods, minimization, transportation and current research topics.

Cell theory and genetic apparatus, radiation chemistry, effect of radiation on DNA molecules, amino acid, protein and many others, cellular damages, survival curves. Theories of Biological effects of radiation, short and long term effect (stochastic and non-stochastic, radio sensitivity and Modifiers, post irradiation clinic events, organ pathology syndromes, evidence from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Target theory and lethal Dose. Measurement of radiation and their units/instrumentation, units of radiation measurement. Role of International Committee on Radiological protection, Radiation dosimetry and instrumentation. The purpose and scope of radiation protection. Systems of dose limitation. Radiological design and materials, Personnel monitoring.

Conventional and contrast Radiographic Anatomy of the system. Anatomy applied to ultrasound and nuclear medicine. Surface anatomy and cross- sectional anatomy. Identification and recognition of normal and pathological changes in anatomical structures and physiological processes. Basic manifestations and presentations of various pathological conditions and diseases entities on radiographs, ultrasound, CT and MR images covering the major organs and systems of the body.