1. Medical Physics University of Canterbury
Part No 1, Lesson No 1
Aim
Medical Physics University of Canterbury
Steven Marsh
IAEA Training Material: Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy

2. Introduction
University of Canterbury teaches the academic portion of the TEAP training requirements as specified in the “Accreditation of University Postgraduate Courses in Medical Physics for the Purposes of the ACPSEM Training, Education and Accreditation Program” policy document.
In 2014 there were 13 students enrolled in all courses, three of these were registrars.

3. Lecture courses
Currently medical physics course content given in seven MDPH courses:
MDPH401 Anatomy and Physiology
MDPH402 Nuclear Medicine
MDPH403 Radiation Physics
MDPH404 Radiation Biology
MDPH405 Radiation Therapy
MDPH406 Medical Imaging
MDPH407 Research Tools
An eighth course is selected from 400 level physics courses

4. MDPH401 – Anatomy and Physiology Warwick Shillito
Structural and functional organisation
Cellular biology
Tissues
Cellular pathology: adaptions and injury
Neoplasia
Integumentary system
Skeletal system
Muscular system
Nervous system
Endocrine system
Cardiovascular system
Lymphatic system
Respiratory system
Digestive system
Urinary system
Reproductive system
Human embryology

5. MDPH402 – Nuclear Medicine Steven Marsh
Radioactive decay
Radionuclide choice
Specific properties of detectors used in Nuclear Medicine
Radionuclide production
Radiopharmaceuticals
Non-imaging tracer studies
Imaging systems used in Nuclear Medicine
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Diagnostic Interpretation of radionuclide studies
Analysis methods commonly used in Nuclear Medicine
Therapeutic uses of unsealed sources
Patient doses
Dosimetry
Radiation protection specific to Nuclear Medicine

6. MDPH403 – Radiation Physics Tony Cotterill
Atomic and nuclear structure
Nuclear stability
Nuclear models
Radioactive decay
Decay chains and equilibrium
Radio-activation
Modes of radioactive decay
Types of reactions
Fission
Fusion
X-rays, gamma rays, etc.
Photon beam attenuation
Photon interactions with matter
Energy transfer mechanisms
X-ray production
Heavy charged particle interactions
Particle range
Neutron interactions, scattering and absorption
Neutron activation
Neutron shielding and measurement
Nuclear reactor types
Introductory nuclear reactor physics
Dosimetric principles quantities and units
Cavity theory
Detection and monitoring equipment
Terrestrial radionuclides and decay chains
Cosmic radiation

7. MDPH404 – Radiation Biology Steven Marsh
The development of radiation protection
Radiation protection organisations
ICRP system of radiological protection
Effects of ionising radiation
Quantities and units of radiation protection
Basic principles for dose reduction technical aspects
Basic principles for dose reduction – external and internal hazards
Safety of the radioactive patient
Effects of total body irradiation
Natural and man-made radiation
Organisation of radiation protection
Transport, storage and disposal of radioactive material
Basic radiation biology
Structural shielding
Radiation detection and measurement
Radiation biology – survival curves
Radiation biology – fractionation, accelerated RT, Oxygen effect
Radiation biology – normal tissue tolerance
Radiation biology – heritable and foetal effects

8. MDPH405 – Radiation Therapy Bryn Currie
Introduction to clinical radiation therapy
History and development of radiation therapy
Treatment machines – physical and clinical aspects
Treatment machines – technical aspects
Commissioning of radiotherapy equipment
Phantoms used in radiotherapy
Quality assurance
Clinical dosimetry – photons and electrons
Dosimetry protocols
Instrumentation
Primary standards and traceability for dosimetry
Introduction to brachytherapy
Treatment techniques in radiation therapy
Treatment simulation
Patient positioning
Treatment planning

9. MDPH406 – Medical Imaging Darin O’Keeffe
Radiography – screen film and digital radiography
Fluoroscopy
Mammography
Digital subtraction angiography
Computed tomography
Ultrasound imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Introduction to image processing
Image perception

10. MDPH407 – Research Tools Bryn Currie
Understand the science of writing
Understand the science of scientific writing
Have a working understanding of LaTeX
Have a working understanding of MatLAB
Understand appropriate statistical methods to plan and analyse experiments
To be able to install and work with the EGSnrc environment
To be able to create and analyse simple dose distributions in a water phantom
To be able to install and work with the BEAMnrc environment
To be able to create and analyse three dimensional dose distributions in a more complex phantom
To attain a basic understanding of how to generate a phase space file using BEAMnrc.

11. The 8th Course
PGDipSci or MSc students are required to sit eight courses in their 400 level studies. The eighth course is generally selected from PHYS400 courses e.g.:
PHYS413: Laser Physics and Modern Optics
PHYS444: Condensed Matter Physics
PHYS411: Advanced Quantum Mechanics

12. UoC ACPSEM Accreditation
Documentation for re-accreditation was sent to ACPSEM earlier in the year
Likely time for accreditation visit is February 2015

13. Medical physics research
Many interesting developments – I’ll highlight two projects:
The Linac MRI project in collaboration with the University of Sydney is attempting to integrate real time MRI imaging with radiotherapy to allow the treatment beam to precisely and accurately focus on the tumour.

14. Medical physics research
Or the MARS-CT project which has an ability to differentiate and quantify simultaneously several targeted cell types, biomarkers, and drug delivery at the target tissue
3D image of mouse showing bone (red)
Iodine in cardio system (blue)
and barium in lungs (green)
MARS-CT scanner

15. Research collaborations
Actively seeking research opportunities
2015 will also see projects offered in collaboration with:
ESR
NZBRI
VUW

16. Masters of Medical Physics degree
There has been discussion in the past regarding offering a Masters in Medical Physics (MMP)
The difference to the MSc would be in the amount of effort required in the thesis component
Motivators for MMP is that it takes less time and there is reduced hospital supervisor input required
However this is at the expense of research experience and not all HODs are in favour of changing
Would naturally require approval from ACPSEM
This has not been progressed at this stage

17. Registrar – when to appoint
UoC has no preference as to when in their academic registrars are appointed
Until recently popular opinion was that appointing registrars at the end of third year improved funding to the university – this is not the case
Australian hospitals tend to appoint post MSc
The Sydney model is to appoint post MSc but to engage likely candidates in clinically relevant (hospital based) research in their thesis year

18. Conclusions
Courses as offered match the requirements specified in the “Accreditation of University Postgraduate Courses in Medical Physics for the Purposes of the ACPSEM Training, Education and Accreditation Program” policy document
University of Canterbury Medical Physics students are actively engaging in research projects throughout Australasia
Masters in Medical Physics degree is still up for debate though I think interest is waning
From the university’s perspective registrars can be appointed at any stage of their academic programme