Ateneo - UPO

Ionizing radiation and radiation-matter interactions. Dosimetric quantities.
Effects of ionizing radiation on the individual (deterministic, stochastic, and genetic); natural and artificial radiation sources; an overview of shielding calculations.
The three fundamental principles of radiation protection. Legislative Decree 101/2020 and radiation protection roles.
Radiation protection for workers: use of dosimeters, use of PPE, and radiation protection rules.
Radiation protection for patients: effective dose estimation, dose categories, best practices for optimizing patient exposure.

"La radioprotezione in radiologia" di E. Di Cesare; P. Gallicchi; M. Midiri. ed. Idelson-Gnocchi. ISBN 978-88-7947-525-9"Elementi di radiobiologia e radioprotezione" di Giuseppe Guglielmi. ed. Piccin. ISBN 978-88-299-3223-8

By the end of the course, the student must be able to understand and apply the basic principles of radiation protection, both from the perspective of the worker (use of PPE and proper management of dosimeters) and from the perspective of optimizing the patient's radiation dose.

The student must be familiar with the structure of matter and possess a basic understanding of applied physics.

Lectures with slide presentations

none

The exam consists of a written test with multiple-choice and open-ended questions.

Difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Historical overview of radioactivity and early harmful effects.Radiation-matter interaction: decay processes, electron capture, natural radioactive series; directly and indirectly ionizing radiation. Interaction of charged particles (light and heavy). Interactions of indirectly ionizing particles: photoelectric effect, Compton effect, pair production. Fundamentals of dosimetry; radiation protection quantities, operational quantities, and physical quantities.Biological damage: somatic and genetic effects; deterministic and stochastic effects. Linear non-threshold model. Definitions of detriment and risk.Radiation sources: natural and artificial.Radon.Modes of exposure: external exposure and internal contamination; importance of time, distance, and shielding for protection against ionizing radiation effects. Overview of shielding calculations in diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy. Evolution of the radiation protection system and the three key principles: justification, optimization of exposure, and dose limits. Regulatory framework and key players in operational radiation protection. Dose limits for workers and classification of exposed workers. Notifications and authorizations for practices.Radiation protection for workers: personal dosimeters, individual and collective protective equipment (and their maintenance), and basic best practices when using radiological equipment (tube position, diaphragm, collimation, angulation, etc.).Radiation protection for patients: from Legislative Decree 101/20 to clinical practice. Introduction to the concept of examination optimization, definition of dose classes, and overview of effective dose estimation methods. Dosimetric monitoring systems and factors influencing patient dose. A note regarding the international community of physicians' and physicists' decision *not* to use anti-X-ray protective devices on the patient.

Understand the basic concepts presented