Unit PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Course
Imaging and radiotherapy techniques
Study-unit Code
GP003719
Curriculum
In all curricula
Teacher
Andrea Orecchini
CFU
7
Course Regulation
Coorte 2025
Offered
2025/26
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa integrata

RADIATION PHYSICS

Code A000082
CFU 2
Teacher Andrea Orecchini
Teachers
  • Andrea Orecchini
Hours
  • 24 ore - Andrea Orecchini
Learning activities Base
Area Scienze propedeutiche
Academic discipline FIS/07
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents Electromagnetic radiations.
Corpuscular radiations.
Structure of the atom.
Nuclides and isotopes.
Radioactivity.
Radiation-matter interactions.
X-ray production and attenuation.
Attenuation of charged particles.
Reference texts - Faiz M. Khan, The Physics of Radiation Therapy
- Joseph Selman, The Basic Physics of Radiation Therapy
- Harold E. Johns and John R. Cunningham, The Physics of Radiology
Educational objectives Ionizing radiations are the main tool the future TSRMs will work with. The aim of the course is thus to provide the basic knowledge of radiation physics, which will allow the students to understand the working principles of the instruments and devices, with which they will work during both their subsequent studies and their professional life.
Prerequisites
Teaching methods Face-to-face lectures.
Other information
Learning verification modality The student can choose between two alternative examination methods:
a) a written exemption test, taken shortly after the end of the lectures of the radiation physics module;
b) an oral examination, after the end of the semester, on the official exam dates.
Given the propedeuticity of the radiation physics module, the exemption test method (a) is strongly encouraged.
Extended program Radiations: definition and some examples. Electromagnetic radiation: basic properties, wavelength-frequency relationship, energy and photons. Spectrum of lectromagnetic waves. Corpuscular radiations. Properties of the main corpuscular radiations. Associated wavelength.
Structure of the atom. Bohr atom and electronic energy levels. Periodic table of elements.
Nuclides and isotopes. Nuclides stability curve. Example of radiation emission from electronic levels (keV). Nuclear shell model. Example of radiation emission from nuclear levels (MeV). Radioactivity: definition and qualitative physical origin. Exponential law of radioactive decay. Decay constant. Activity and specific activity. Mean life and half time. Radioactive equilibrium: transient equilibrium and secular equilibrium. Examples of transient and secular equilibria of relevance to medical radiology. Natural radioactive series.
X-ray production processes. Conceptual diagram of an X-ray tube. Spectrum of an X-ray tube.
Direct and indirect ionizing radiation. Attenuation of a monochromatic photon beam: linear attenuation coefficient and half-value layer. Energy dependence of the attenuation coefficient and filter effect on non-monochromatic beams. Mass attenuation coefficient.
Main photon-matter interactions of relevance to radiology: coherent scattering, photoelectric effect, Compton effect, pair production. Energy dependence of the mass attenuation coefficient: notable examples.
Charged particles interactions. Speed dependence of the ionizing power; Bragg peak.

PHYSICS

Code 50011800
CFU 1
Teacher Andrea Orecchini
Teachers
  • Andrea Orecchini
Hours
  • 12 ore - Andrea Orecchini
Learning activities Base
Area Scienze propedeutiche
Academic discipline FIS/07
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents The experimental method.
Kinematics and the second law of dynamics.
Work and energy. Noteworthy forces. Potential energy and conservation of mechanical energy.
Fluid dynamics.
Thermology.
Electrostatics.
Magnetism and electromagnetic waves.
Reference texts A. Giambattista, “Fisica generale. Principi e applicazioni.”, McGraw-Hill Education, 3ed. 2021.
Educational objectives Learn the basics of elementary physics, which are needed to understand the main techniques employed in medical radiology.
Prerequisites Knowledge of basic elements of mathematics is required
Teaching methods Face-to-face lessons
Other information
Learning verification modality Written test with open questions. For information on support services for students with disabilities and/or DSA visit the webpage http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa
Extended program The scientific method. Physical quantities. International System and units of measurement. Dimensional equations.
Trajectory, velocity, acceleration.
Force, mass and the second law of dynamics. Work. Power. Kinetic energy. Fundamental and non-fundamental forces. Gravitational force and weight. Coulomb force. Nuclear force. Conservative and dissipative forces. Potential energy. Conservation of mechanical energy.
Density and pressure. Continuity equation and Bernoulli equation.
Temperature. Thermal expansion. Equation of state of ideal gases. Absolute temperature and kinetic theory of gases. Heat and mechanical equivalent of the calorie. Latent heat of transition. Heat capacity and specific heat. Heat transfer mechanisms.
Coulomb force and electric charge. Electrons and protons. Electric field. Potential energy and electric potential. An example: the plane capacitor. Definition of electronvolt. Definition of electric current. Conductors and insulators. Ohm's law, resistance, resistivity and conductivity. Work, power, Joule effect. Direct and alternating current.
Magnetic phenomena and magnetic poles. First Oersted experiment and magnetic field. Second Oersted experiment and Lorentz force. Magnetic induction. Electromagnetic waves.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

INFORMATICS

Code GP003730
CFU 2
Teacher Ivan Gerace
Teachers
  • Ivan Gerace
Hours
  • 24 ore - Ivan Gerace
Learning activities Base
Area Scienze propedeutiche
Academic discipline INF/01
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents Digital representation of images. Introduction to the C programming language. Management of digital images using C programming language.
Reference texts Gonzalez, Woods, "Digital Image Processing", Prentice Hall, Pearson Education.
Educational objectives At the end of the course the student must be able to design and write a simple C language program for the management of digital images.
Prerequisites No one.
Teaching methods Frontal lesson. Guided lesson at the computer lab. Problem solving.
Other information No one.
Learning verification modality Computer lab test and oral exam.
Extended program The light. RGB, CMYK, Lab representation. Blur and noise corruption of an image. Punctual, local and global operators for image reconstruction. Quantization problem. Estimation of the optical flow. Separation of components. Tomography. Demosaicing. Variables in C language. Commands for, while and if. File reading and writing. Management of a gray level image. Management and creation of color images.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile 4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Code 40285806
CFU 2
Teacher Donatella Siepi
Teachers
  • Donatella Siepi
Hours
  • 24 ore - Donatella Siepi
Learning activities Caratterizzante
Area Scienze interdisciplinari
Academic discipline SECS-S/02
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
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