Ateneo - UPO

Descriptions and formulas.

"Medicina nucleare nella pratica clinica", Patron Editore, Bologna.

The course aims to convey basics hints of the physics involved in the operation of machines for Nuclear Medicines.

Basic of Fundamental and Radiation Physics.

Lectures with projection of power point slides. Physics exercises executed in real time displayed on a whiteboard.

Oral exams with possibly the written resolution of one exercise.

Forces in the atomic nuclei. Stability. Activity of a radiactive sample. Time dependence of the number of nuclei in a radiactive sample and time dependence of its activity. Mean life and half life.

Single photon tecniques in nuclear medicine (SPECT). Differences between SPECT and TAC. Imaging with a gamma camera. Collimation system. Efficiency and resolution. Gamma spectrum. Energy window. Detector. Photomultiplier. Read-out electronics. 3D-image reconstruction. Correction for attenuation. Nuclear cardiology: gammacamera based on CZT detectors.

Positron-emission tecniques.

Production of radioisotopes: cyclotrons and nuclear reactors. Chain decays. Chromatography column.

Choice of radioisotope.

Understanding and familiarity with the physics processes involved in nuclear medicine techniques.